Japanese expert urges serious treatment for gaming and internet addicts

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March 20, 2019

With people everywhere spending more time on their digital devices, the initally harmless hobby of video gaming can lead to serious health issues if left unchecked.

Indeed, there have already been several unfortunate incidents where people neglected their health, families, and other life responsibilities in favor of their video games, and internet habits.

The World Health Organization has thus officially listed gaming addiction as a mental disorder. Gaming addiction is defined as “a pattern of gaming behavior characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.”

Japan’s expert on battling addiction Dr. Susumu Higuchi is highly concerned because children are the group most vulnerable to gaming and internet addiction.

Among youths in Japan, videogame addiction has already reached alarming new levels that have led to serious injuries and deaths.

Reports say that males are more prone to video game addiction while females are more aligned to social media.

Dr. Higuchi spearheads Japan’s first program offering rehabilitation for gaming addicts where they are treated in Kurihama Medical and Addiction Centre. Alcohol and drug abusers are made to cease using the substance entirely during rehabilitation. Dr. Higuchi said it is difficult to treat gaming addicts because it is almost impossible to fully abstain from using the internet and other gadgets nowadays.

The rise of eSports has also increased the number of gaming addicts. Dr. Higuchi noted that his advocacy to spread awareness about the dangers of gaming addiction is bound to be met with opposition from the big gaming corporations.

Gaming and internet addiction has also crept its way into Singapore. Latest figures show that Singaporeans spend an average of 12 hours and 42 minutes on their digital devices every day. A third of the surveyed residents admitted to be addicted to their smartphones, and this addiction has affected their sleep patterns.

Another study reported that Singaporean youth spent 20 hours a week on average playing video games. Singapore also has the youngest average age of children who have their own internet-connected device. The global average is 10 years old while Singaporean children get their hands on gadgets at the early age of 8.

Without proper guidance on responsible internet use and the awareness on the dangers of overuse, these children can be prone to gaming and internet addiction as well.

People are now willing to pay for expensive rehabilitation programs. Addiction recovery centres such as Solace Sabah in Malaysia and The Edge in Thailand have received increasing numbers of Singaporeans over the years who want to “detox” from their toxic internet and gaming habits. Treatment involves total abstinence from their devices and involvement in various physical, and sporting activities.

Dr. Higuchi adds that it becomes doubly challenging to treat gaming and internet addicts since many people still refuse to recognize that it is a serious medical disorder. As in all treatments, gaming addiction rehabilitation must begin with an awareness of its existence and an acceptance of help.

Dr M confident international disputes will not affect economic relations

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The Independent

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March 20, 2019

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Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 8.23.26 PM — Photo: YouTube screengrab

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad has assured international investors that China and Singapore will always remain the country’s key trade partners regardless of international disputes. His assurance was part of his keynote address at the 15th edition of the Invest Malaysia 2019 forum that was held on Mar 19.

The two-day event is the first Invest Malaysia edition held under the current Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.

It is thus the ideal platform to share Malaysia’s new agenda and ambitions, says newly-elected Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift who expects the participation of over 1,000 local, and foreign managers.

For Mahathir, water, airspace and maritime disputes are not obstacles to economic relations between Malaysia, Singapore, and China.

“We may have differences of views — as with Singapore and China — but let me tell you we see them as close partners. They are our top two trading and investment partners,” says Mahathir, who promised his country’s continued commitment to trade with key partners.

Meanwhile, the Singapore-Malaysia water issue is ongoing, with Malaysia urging Singapore to revise the 1962 Water Agreement given that the island-nation is a “rich country that couldn’t be buying water from poor countries at such an unreasonable price.”

Airspace disputes are also in the middle of negotiations between the two countries’ transport ministers while the maritime issue is currently at a stalemate with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs giving Malaysian vessels free pass in the contested waters.

In the case of China, Malaysian economic affairs minister Azmin Ali had on Jan 26 unexpectedly announced the termination of the RM80 billion (S$26.5 billion) East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project which Mahathir will only allow to continue if developers agree to lower costs. Bilateral talks are ongoing, with the former expecting to close the deal by mid-2019.

In his keynote address, Mahathir said, “We wish to reiterate that Malaysia is committed to friendly economic ties.”

3 Travel Gadets You Can Get to Never Lose Valuables Again On a Trip

By

The Independent

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March 20, 2019

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3 Travel Gadets You Can Get to Never Lose Valuables Again On a Trip

Travelling is almost always fun and exciting, until you lose something. When we are trying to enjoy ourselves with the limited time we have during our vacations, losing our luggage, passport, wallet or phone can quickly ruin the whole experience by causing an extreme amount of inconvenience and stress. Of course, having a great travel insurance policy can help mitigate your losses if such a situation ever surfaces. But, even that won’t be able to recover your lost time and energy that could’ve been spent doing actually doing something enjoyable at your destination. As always, prevention, not “cure”, is a better solution. In that regard, here are 3 travel gadgets you can get to almost eliminate the risk of your losing (or getting stolen) your passport, wallet or smartphone again.

Anti-Theft Shoulder Bags or Backpacks

One of the biggest reasons for losing valuables while travelling is theft. In fact, studies report that there are roughly 400,000 pickpocketing incidents occurring per day worldwide, which is more than 10% of international arrivals occuring around the world (roughly 1.2bn per year). Not only that, roughly 33% of travel insurance claims are for lost or stolen items. Since tourists are easy targets for pickpockets because usually distracted with their new experiences or with finding their way through unfamiliar streets, the best practice for them is to always leave their valuables in their hotel’s safety box. However, this isn’t always an option for people staying at hostels, and you still need to carry around other valuables like wallets, phones, sunglasses, and sometimes even passports in some countries like the US where it is required at many bars. What can you do in such situations?

The most highly targeted cities around the world for pickpocketing according to Safes International

Barcelona, Spain
Rome, Italy
Prague, Czech Republic
Madrid, Spain
Paris, France
Florence, Italy
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Athens, Greece
Hanoi, Vietnam

One travel gadget you might want to purchase is an anti-theft bag. Typically costing S$70 or less, these bags generally have 2 traits in common. First, their zippers are extremely difficult to open because they either come with locks or are located in hidden places (i.e. between the backpack and the person’s back). SEcondly, they are typically cut-resistant to prevent thieves from stealthily slashing your bag to take your belongings. Some of them even come with some cool features like USB ports to charge your electronics.

Anti-theft shoulder bags are made with lockable zippers and anti-slashing materials

Smartphone Lanyards

While anti-theft bags could work well for certain items that you don’t need frequently, their security features actually make them less ideal for items like smartphones you need to use for taking pictures and finding your way or credit cards to pay for things overseas throughout the day. Instead, storing all of them inside a smartphone lanyard could be a good compromise between security and easy access. Since you can wear the lanyard around your neck, it’s very difficult for pickpockets to snatch them from you.

Travel Money Belts

For those who are travelling to developing countries where access to ATM, moneychangers or credit card terminals are rare, bringing a decent amount of cash is almost an necessity. However, bringing around a large amount of cash can be rather uncomfortable mentally, especially when you need to take out your fattened up wallet. Everytime you open up your wallet, you are suddenly wary of prying eyes that might be tempted to target your large stove of cash. Instead, you can use a travel money belt to store your cash under your shirt, safely close to you and invisible to anyone else. Their RFID protection also makes them ideal for credit cards (some thefts are done by magnetically scanning your card).

Parting Thoughts

As with anything, prevention, not treatment, is the best form of protection. To the extent that you can, it’s generally a good practice to keep your belongings secure by only taking out what you need with you. This means leaving everything you can (including unnecessary extra cash) in a safe deposit box if you that’s available at your accommodation. But, a lot of travellers, especially the young travellers who are backpacking around the world on a budget, don’t always stay at expensive hotels that provide safe box. In that regard, these 3 items are relatively affordable and extremely useful investments to ensure that you can peacefully enjoy your trip without worrying about getting pickpocketed or dealing with the hassle of replacing your passport, cancelling your credit cards, submitting your travel insurance claims and getting a new phone.

The article 3 Travel Gadets You Can Get to Never Lose Valuables Again On a Trip originally appeared on ValueChampion.

ValueChampion helps you find the most relevant information to optimise your personal finances. Like us on our Facebook page to keep up to date with our latest news and articles.

5 Ways to Be Better off Financially in 5 Years

By

The Independent

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March 19, 2019

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5 Ways to Be Better off Financially in 5 Years

According to a recent survey by Nielsen, approximately half of Singaporeans believe that they are better off financially in 2018 than they were 5 years ago. To help our readers achieve their own financial security in the coming years, we’ve listed some of the best ways to get to a better place financially by 2024.

Consider Refinancing Your Home Loan

For homeowners, your home loan may seem like a significant cost that is set in stone. However, this large financial burden may actually offer a great route for improving your finances over the next few years. In order to obtain your business, banks often offer competitive interest rates to encourage you to refinance your loan through their bank. This makes home loan refinancing quite popular in Singapore.

Average Home Loan Refinancing Interest Rates by Home Type

For example, refinancing a loan with 25 years remaining S$500,000 outstanding from a rate of 3.00% to 2.50% can save you over S$1,400 annually. If you are able to obtain lower interest rates for several years, then it is worth refinancing your home loan due to these significant annual savings. Don’t forget that there are a number of costs associated with home loan refinancing, such as legal and valuation fees. Before you apply for home loan refinancing, make sure the cost of these fees are outweighed by your new low rates.

Don’t Let Debt Drag You Down

As you prepare to optimise your finances by refinancing your home loan or reining in your budget, don’t forget to address any of your existing personal debt. For example, an outstanding credit card bill can quickly snowball into a financial mess due to the high interest rates typically charged by credit card companies. For this reason, if you have any high-interest debt (e.g. credit card, personal loan), it is important to make sure that you repay or consolidate your balance in order to limit the long-term financial harm.

Average Annual Interest Rate by Debt Type

If you are unable to repay your entire balance at once, consider a balance transfer or a debt consolidation loan. These loans allow you to transfer your personal debt to a more manageable loan. For instance, both examples typically charge much lower rates than other forms of debt. Balance transfers are particularly useful when you have a smaller amount of debt or expect to repay your entire debt over a shorter period of time. This is because balance transfer loans typically offer an interest-free period of 3 to 18 months, which gives you a unique opportunity to repay debt without accruing additional interest.

However, once this period concludes, balance transfer loans charge about 24% in annual interest on average. Therefore, if you require a longer-term option, it makes more sense to apply for a debt consolidation loan. These loans tend to charge slightly lower rates than other forms of debt and can help you minimise the total interest that you accrue over the next few years. While it may be painful to bring these loans to mind, your future self will thank you for taking action and drastically reducing your total interest accrued.

Optimise Your Credit Card Usage

If you repay your bill every month and don’t have an outstanding credit card balance, you might think you’re doing enough in terms of optimising your finances when it comes to credit cards. In reality, you could be doing much more than just avoiding credit card debt. By using your credit cards strategically, you can maximise rewards offered by credit card issuers. For example, some cards offer as much as 15% off travel bookings, while others offer up to 10% rebates on groceries. Meanwhile, some offer significant miles or cashback bonuses just for signing up. Furthermore, there are cards available that do not charge annual fees and others that do not require a certain monthly minimum spending amount, making them more advantageous to those that would use certain cards sparingly. We are not suggesting that you sign up for every credit card out there, but properly using 2 or 3 cards to maximise rewards can help you reduce your expenses or even help you go on a great vacation.

Go Back to School

Most of our suggestions in this article help you reduce your personal expenses. However, another way to feel financially secure in the future is to increase your income. One way to significantly increase your earning potential is to go back to school in order to give yourself more career options. This could take a variety of forms depending on the person. Some individuals might be interested in coding bootcamps as a relatively inexpensive way to pick up technical skills. Others might consider an online degree in their free time. Some individuals might consider a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) as a way to catapult their career in the finance, consulting or tech industries, among others. Many of these programmes require a significant upfront cost, and do not suit everyone’s career ambitions. However, they also offer very high potential returns in terms of your future salary due to the high demand for the skills that you can pick up.

Get Better Returns

Whether you are saving for retirement or to purchase a home, you should make sure that you are getting the best returns possible. For the very risk-averse that prefer to stick with savings accounts, it makes sense to at least find a bank that offers competitive rates. In Singapore savings accounts tend to offer about 1.5-2% annually for savings accounts, although it is possible to find banks that offer higher rates. For those that prefer to seek a higher return, albeit with some additional risk, it makes sense to consider investing their savings. Individuals that have conducted thorough research consider investing in stocks, bonds or funds using an online brokerage platform. Furthermore, it helps to start your investing early, even if you are only investing a small amount at a time. For instance, a small investment of S$1,000 can more than double in just 15 years assuming that a 6% return rate.

How Take Control of Your Finances

Everyone’s personal finance goals are different. While one person may want to repay debt, another may want to buy a new home. To ensure that you meet your own goal, you will need to identify the current burdens that are holding you back and plan to address these issues. Once you’ve identified your goals and course of action, it is important to act swiftly to ensure your financial success in the future.

The article 5 Ways to Be Better off Financially in 5 Years originally appeared on ValueChampion.

ValueChampion helps you find the most relevant information to optimise your personal finances. Like us on our Facebook page to keep up to date with our latest news and articles.

Born without arms, this para-cyclist raises funds for cross-country charity

By

The Independent

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March 19, 2019

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Despite having no hands, he can still cycle across the country for charity: This is the inspiring tale of 25-year-old Jagwinder Singh who broke human barriers to cycle from Singapore to Malacca over two days to raise funds for the underprivileged.

The para-cyclist led a riding expedition, over the weekend, befittingly called, ‘Ride To Serve 2019’, organised by Paul Singh, in aid of Sikh Welfare Council and in collaboration with the Singapore Khalsa Association (SKA).

As I watched him expertly handle the racing bicycle, he instantly became a reminder
about how we can defy all kinds of odds to achieve a dream. No wonder then, that
his family, friends and fans call him “Super Singh”.

He bravely battled the elements, unpredictable terrain and physical exhaustion, over
the 250km cross-country course, simply to prove that the “elements of sharing and
giving, bonding and camaraderie” can be used for a value-added charity cause.

“I do not have both my hands since birth. So I did not have to deal with any
traumatic situation physically, as I did not even know how it feels to be a
person with hands,” says Jagwinder, who hails from Patran in Patiala district
of Punjab in north India.

His trip for the Sikh Welfare Council-charity-drive was sponsored as he is a role model for many, having overcome enormous physical handicaps and hostilities in life. From not getting into a good school to financial hardships, and without any support from the government, he even managed to win a Paralympic gold medal for India in cycling. He dreams of becoming a drawing professor someday.

The 25-year-old arts teacher said,”The people who see me every day, their mindset becomes very positive, thinking, “If he can do so much in spite of not having hands then we can do anything.” This is one of my biggest achievements.”

He suffers from a birth defect known as Amelia (birth defect) where a person may lack one or more limbs. It can also be the result of a shrunken or deformed limb. Having no arms from birth, he uses his feet to cook and eat his food, paint, and even work on his computer.

He says: “I don’t face any problems because of being handicapped. Whenever I feel
like doing some work I see how another person is doing this work and work out how
can I do it my own way.”

Jagwinder is truly an extraordinary man who wants to help the under-
privileged. He says: “If you wait till you can do everything for everybody, instead of
something for somebody, you will end up not doing nothing for nobody.”

His role-model and favourite cyclist is Canadian Joseph Veloce, a world-class biker. So,
what challenge will he take up next?

“Winning a gold medal in the Tokyo Paralympics is my next goal. I’m practising over
25km daily and will keep pushing to perform better and to be close to Joseph
Veloce.”

‘EXTRAORDINARY ROLE-MODEL’

He describes his tryst with art. “Despite a diploma in art, I ran from pillar to post
because no school or institution was ready to take me in. A wrongful perception led
people to not accept me easily. But with the concerted efforts of my parents, I kept
pushing to command self-respect,” says Jagwinder, who currently teaches art at
Nanaksar Academy in Patiala.

He says, “Despite seven decades of freedom, illiteracy is rampant in India and most
parts of south Asia. My top priority is to impart education to those who are deprived,
to widen their horizons and to discipline them.”

Singapore actor-businessman Ricky Sapuran Singh, who also cycled in the
Singapore-Malacca charity drive, praised Jagwinder for his “extraordinary and
exemplary courage and determination”.

“We want to encourage more spirited Singaporeans to level up to society by
reaching out to the less privileged. By using bicycles and going across the
Causeway, every year, we want to spread the message of international goodwill and
to raise funds so that others can continue and expand the welfare projects,” says the
57-year-old Sapuran Singh, a retired Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) major, who now
manages the biggest Bollywood entertainment arena, Moshi Moshi Bollywood, in
Koek Road, off Orchard Road.

“Believe me, it was very physical, very demanding and even for a pro-cyclist, some
of the terrain challenges would have been tough,” says Sapuran Singh, who has
been involved in charity and community work for 22 years. “Yet these are
extraordinary people, like arm-less Jagwinder, who makes the commitment to
perform such a daunting charity-driven task.

UNFAILINGLY HELPING CHARITY

“I commend all the cyclists, including two women, too. The hours and mileage each
cyclist has to put in are extensive. The obstacles our cyclists encountered cannot be
compared to the adversity many of the underprivileged go through every day. It is
heartening to witness our cyclists putting in the effort to help raise funds for a very
good cause.”

Sapuran Singh, who last year made his Bollywood acting debut in the Hindi
romantic-thriller, Pareshaan Parinda, as a Mafia don with outdoor scenes shot in
Sydney (Australia), passionately believes in “giving back to society and taking
ownership in the community I’m living in”.

He says: “I’m a patriotic Singaporean who has served the Singapore Armed Forces
for 27 years, and as a businessman and grassroots leader, doing continuous charity
work for over two decades.”

Sapuran Singh and property businesswoman-wife, Puran Kaur, will be hosting
a special charity-auction with Jagwinder Singh on Wednesday at 7.00pm at
Moshi Moshi Bollywood at Cuppage Plaza.

SKA Chairman (Membership) Major (Retired) Tarlok Singh saluted handicapped
Jagwinder for making ‘Ride To Serve 2019’ – in aid of Sikh Welfare Council – a
“dream-come-true success”.

NOW FOR A BRIDE

“We’re Sikhs living in a multi-racial blend here and we invite Singaporeans to partake
in every SKA celebration and charity events in attempts to build and strengthen
community ties,” he said.

“Jagwinder from Punjab, armless but with the bravest personal spirits, (sic) showed we can achieve the impossible if we put our hearts and souls (sic) for charity. He’s truly an extraordinary Sikh global ambassador.”

The final word came from Jagwinder’s mother Amarjeet Kaur, 45, who told The Times of
India newspaper: “We need a good girl for him, who will support him and live her
whole life with him properly. As we hope for good (sic) for him, she should wish the
same.”

But despite his parents’ attempts at match-making, Jagwinder, the “Super Sikh” is more focused on cycling, training at the gym and helping the under-privileged.

9 arrested in connection with Pasir Gudang toxic dumping

By

Anna Maria Romero

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March 19, 2019

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Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 12.38.18 PM — Photo: YouTube screengrab

Johor Baru: Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the illegal chemical waste dumping in Sungai Kim Kim on March 7, which affected thousands of people because of the noxious fumes from the unlawful dumping.

Many students and staff from schools in the area experienced breathing difficulty, vomiting, nausea, and sore throat, after having been exposed to the poisonous fumes from the river.

Police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said on Monday, March 18, that two suspects were detained in Johor, with seven others caught in other states.

The Star Online reported Mr Mohamad as saying, “We cannot reveal their age and where they were detained as this could jeopardise our investigation into the case.”

He also said that these suspects will be remanded for six days from Monday to help the police in the investigation.

The individuals are charged on three counts: under Section 278 of the Penal Code for making the atmosphere noxious to health, under Section 284 for negligent conduct with respect to any poisonous substance and under Section 326 for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means.

The illegal chemical dumping first caused two schools to close on March 7, Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pasir Putih and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pasir Putih. Students and staff had breathed in the fumes from the chemical dumping. The schools opened again on March 11, but another wave of poisoning affected the students.

By March 11, the education ministry closed all 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang area.

At its worst, over 2,700 people had gotten affected by the toxic dumping, but by Sunday, only 29 individuals remained in hospital due to the poisoning.
Last weekend, a cleanup of 1.5 km stretch of the river was completed.

Sahruddin Jamal, Johor Health, Environment, and Agriculture Committee chairman, announced on Monday, March 18, that while four people remained confined in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), they were in stable condition.

Dr Sahruddin also announced via a statement that 30 teams under the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change have been tapped to monitor air quality at 42 schools. These institutions are located within a 5-9 kilometer radius from Sungai Kim Kim.

He added that portable gas detectors will be employed by the teams to ensure the safety of the air quality in the area. Dr Sahruddin said, “Five parameters to be monitored are for oxygen, carbon monoxide, low exposure limit, volatile organic compound, and hydrogen sulfide.”

On Monday, Maszlee Malik, Malaysia’s Education Minister, had also announced that the schools in Pasir Gudang would not reopen until after March 30, when the mid-term break (March 22-30) ends.

He explained in a press conference that experts and authorities had held a briefing. “We are taking precautions. The schools will remain closed until the school holidays. We will make announcements from time to time. The reopening of the schools will be announced later.

Following the briefing, it was decided that the schools could not reopen yet. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure.”

He added that there will no change in the schedule for examinations.

Whether or not the schools can reopen after March 30 is yet to be decided by the Ministry of Education. Dr Sahruddin said, “Our main concern now is the health and safety of students and school staff.”

Malaysian lawyer calls on President Halimah Yacob to stay execution on Friday of Micheal Garing

By

Anna Maria Romero

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March 19, 2019

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Petaling Jaya—N. Surendran from Malaysian human rights group Lawyers for Liberty is appealing that the scheduled execution of a Malaysian man in Singapore be halted, claiming that the convict and his family have not been given sufficient time for preparations.

Mr Surendran is also appealing for clemency from President Halimah Yacob.

The family of the convict, 28-year-old Micheal Anak Garing, was only told of the execution eight days before he is scheduled to be executed in Changi Prison on Friday, March 22. They were informed that they needed to make “necessary funeral arrangements” for him.

In a statement released on Monday, March 18, Mr Surendran said “This extremely short notice is disturbing and a cause for concern. It gives the family scant time to spend with Michael in his final days and to make preparations.”

Mr Surendran is asking the Government of Singapore to reverse Mr Garing’s stay of execution. Mr Garing was convicted of murder by the Singapore High Court in 2015, a verdict upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2017.

While Mr Surendran acknowledged that punishment was necessary for Mr Garing’s crime, the lawyer also said that Mr Garing deserved a chance to be rehabilitated, and that Singapore would do an “even greater wrong” by executing Mr. Garing.

The lawyer appealed to President Halimah Yacob to change the death penalty to life imprisonment.

“It is not too late to do so. We further urge the government of Singapore to impose a moratorium on all executions and work towards abolition of the death penalty.”

According to International Human Rights lawyer M. Ravi, since there is a moratorium on death penalty cases in Malaysia at the moment, Singapore should consider Mr Surendran’s appeal.

“Given that there is a close relationship between Malaysia and Singapore, and there is currently a moratorium on the death penalty in Malaysia, Singapore may want to hold off on executions, especially since a considerable number of convicts in Singapore’s death row are Malaysian nationals,” Mr Ravi told The Independent.

Micheal Garing’s crime

Mr Garing hails from Kapit, Sarawak. Along with other individuals from Sarawak, he went on a spate of violent robberies from May 29 to 30, 2010 in Kallang.

The group ended up killing four people in all. First to get killed was 24-year-old Sandeep Singh, a construction worker followed by 19-year-old national serviceman Ang Jun Heng, who had been punched, kicked, and slashed with a parang.

Next, the group attacked 43-year-old Egan Karuppaiah, an Indian national in another gruesome killing where his arms were cut off.

Lastly, they killed 41-year-old Shanmuganathan Dillidurai. The group knocked him off his bicycle as he rode along Kallang Road and then stabbed him repeatedly. He died of serious injuries since his skull had been fractured and his jugular vein severed.

It was discovered during the trial that Mr Garing had been wielding the parang during the attacks.

One of Mr Garing’s companions, Tony Imba, has been given a life sentence in prison for his role in the crimes.

Mr Surendran’s plea

Mr Surendran argued that Mr Garing had only been 21 years old in 2010 and that this must be taken into consideration in this case.

“Michael was only 21 years old when he committed the crime. We accept that it was a serious crime and that he must face punishment. But like any young person who has committed a crime, Michael must be given an opportunity for rehabilitation. By executing him, the State is answering his wrongdoing with an even greater wrong.

Singapore gains nothing by carrying out this execution, except to strengthen the perception of indifference and callousness to human life. The death penalty has never been proven to be a deterrent to serious crime.

Killing Micheal only entrenches the culture of violence, and will not make Singaporeans any safer in their daily lives,” he added.

According to its website, “Lawyers for Liberty is a human rights and law reform initiative that seeks to challenge the many unconstitutional, arbitrary and unreasonable decisions and acts perpetrated by the government, its agencies and other public authorities.”

Grassroots leader who constructed illegal floor also sponsored production costs of PAP MP’s book

By

Jewel Stolarchuk

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March 19, 2019

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Earlier this month, an illegal extra floor was found at The Alexcier building in Alexandra Road that was only supposed to have eight floors.

On Sunday (17 Mar), the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) confirmed that the ninth floor was constructed illegally. The BCA and URA said in a joint statement:

“The extensive unauthorised floor is a blatant breach of the regulations. Such contraventions will not be tolerated. The additional floor area is not allowed as it exceeds the maximum permissible intensity under the URA’s Master Plan.”

By illegally building the extra floor on top of the industrial building, the owners also dodged paying a development charge costing over S$1 million dollars to the authorities, if they had approved the additional level.

Over the weekend, the Straits Times reported that the unit is owned by ZACD Investments. ZACD Investments is co-founded by Stanley Yeo and his wife Kain Sim. Stanley Yeo is a grassroots leader who chairs the Tampines North Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

The People’s Association – a statutory board under the Prime Minister’s Office that oversees neighbourhood grassroots communities – told the media that Yeo has taken leave from his grassroots position and will be away for three months.

The PA promised that it will take “appropriate action” against Yeo, who was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2015, once the case concludes.

The media also sought a comment from Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng on the case but the ruling party politician declined to comment.

Interestingly, Yeo was the same person who sponsored the production costs of Baey’s book two years ago. In May 2017, Baey confirmed that his book – entitled “From the Horse’s Mouth” – was sponsored by “Mr Stanley Yeo, PBM”.

One month later, in June 2017, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat officially launched Baey’s book. In a Facebook post after the book launch, Baey wrote:

“Really excited that my new book was launched last night. Grateful to Minister Heng Swee Keat for giving me the honour, and my guest speakers Ser Luck, Wai See, Johnny and Weisong for making the programme so special.”

https://www.facebook.com/BaeyYamKeng/videos/1677779035583129/?t=6

Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng says training safety is ‘front and foremost in the entire design’ of new BMT curriculum

By

Anna Maria Romero

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March 19, 2019

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Singapore—Even national servicemen (NSF) who aren’t normally assigned to combat roles will have an opportunity to train with rifles using a shooting simulator.

Since October 2018, both PES E and PES C soldiers have been undergoing training at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) School Five at Kranji Camp. PES stands for Physical Employment Standards.

NSFs who are graded PES E are usually assigned as admin support assistants or supply assistants. But they too will be able to experience the feel of using the kind of rifles that ordinary Singaporean soldiers use, the SAR-21, through the Individual Marksmanship Trainer used in a virtual firing range indoors.

The trainees received a visit from Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State for Defence, on Monday, March 18, who told the media that training safety is “front and foremost in the entire design of the curriculum.” He also said that the recruits’ parents he had spoken to were “confident and reassured”.

A PES C soldier is one that is ready for combat service support vocations and some combat support vocations, while PES E soldiers can only join combat service support and service vocations.

In the newly-implemented curriculum, a weapon presentation ceremony and a combined graduation parade are prescribed to both types of soldiers (PES C and E), similar to soldiers who are ready for combat.

This change is new to BMTC School Five, whose curriculum is geared toward giving recruits shared defining moments.

BMT is made up of four weeks of basic soldiering, and then five weeks vocation specialisation.

PES C soldiers, in the past, used to undergo basic soldiering phase, and PES E soldiers had a military assimilation programme which lasted for two weeks. This was followed by vocational training, before active service.

The New Straits Times reports Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Sim Kian Hwa as saying, “The mission and purpose for School Five is to transform recruits into confident, competent and committed soldiers.”

LTC Sim is the commanding officer of BMTC School Five.

He also talked about another innovation to the NSF curriculum, which is the Service-Fit Fitness Programme. This is a self-regulated physical training programme, allowing recruits to undergo training at their own pace. This programme has become customizable so that recruits can train progressively and safely.

When the media asked how the new programme addresses safety in training, LTC Sim answered, “We have brought on board experienced and committed commanders, from BMTC in Tekong and also other training institutes, so that we can give them (the recruits) the due care and supervision during training.”

He added, “The commanders that are with us right now are well-trained by SAF counselling centres so they are able to better manage the recruits.

We have also collaborated with SAF counselling centre for training and management of instructors so they are able to take care of the recruits properly during the nine-week stay-in period.”

Mr Heng also talked about training safety to the media. “It is very important for us to have effective training that is safe that leaves a very good and impactful sense of experience with our NS men, so that everyone, regardless, has strengths to contribute to the defence of the country.”

There have been three batches of recruits who have graduated from BMTC School Five thus far. Seven more batches are expected to complete the courses by the end of 2019.

Breaking down how Grab is doubling-down on its financial product

By

e27

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March 19, 2019

0

Grab introduced lending services, payment channels, insurance updates and even instalment plans

Grab Financial Group, the fintech arm of Grab, announced today a host of new services that include SME lending, insurance updates, an online checkout system and the ability to pay bills via instalment plans.

The offerings are split into two core roadmaps, one is called ‘Grow with Grab’ and includes the lending/insurance services. The other is called ‘Pay with Grab’, which covers the payments services.

Grab’s long-term ambition is to become Southeast Asia’s largest merchant network, fintech lending platform and insurtech policy provider.

“We can leverage our scale and data insights to bring financial services products to market at a more competitive price point than anyone else,” said Reuben Lai the Senior Managing Director of Grab Financial Group in a statement.

The updates were announced at the Money 20/20 conference happening in Singapore this week.

Let’s get a bit more detailed into the updates.

Grow with Grab

In March, 2018, Grab announced a joint venture with the Japanese consumer finances company Credit Saison. The core focus of that partnership was to help people buy the products they would need to become Grab drivers. For example, loans to help buy the smartphones that are necessary to do the job.

The JV eventually started providing working capital loans for SMEs in Singapore. Today, the company announced it will pursue lending across Southeast Asia.

Last week, SGSME, a media company, reported that Grab will offer working capital loans of up to S$100,000 (US$74,000) to SMEs at an interest rate of 1 per cent per month.

Additionally, Grab announced ‘Pay Later’, a post-paid service that will launch in Singapore over the next few months. Pay Later is like a typical mobile phone subscription, allowing people to pay their Grab bill at the end of the month.

Grab will also facilitate an instalment plans that include a zero per cent interest rate over multiple months.

The goal is to provide people who may be under financial strain to have flexibility in their payment structure and avoid high interest rates or missed credit card payments.

Both the lending and payment-instalment services will only be offered to Grab’s most credit-worthy customers, which includes analysing spending patterns on the platform.

Pay with Grab

The two core products of the Pay with Grab roadmap is an online payments tool and a POS-integration service.

The online payment tool allows for e-commerce companies to facilitate transactions using GrabPay. It works just like any other online payment tool like Stripe or PayPal.

The selling point is that, for people who are deeply integrated into the Grab ecosystem, they can start to pay for a large variety of their daily life using Grab.

The e-commerce marketplaces Qoo10 and 11street are two big names that have come onboard and two movie theatres, Cathay Cinemas (Singapore) and SM Cinema (Philippines) will also host the payment tool.

For merchants, Grab has inked partnership agreements with Adyen, Boku, iPay88 and Dragonpay.

The other payment service is an integration service for point-of-sale (POS) devices. Merchants can now add GrabPay as a payment option for their POS system, which will help them streamline their accounting infrastructure.

To date, GrabPay for merchants has used a QR-code system. It is convenient for customers but separates the “Grab bills” from other forms of payment. Integrating into the POS system would shorten this gap.

The POS system will begin in Singapore before expanding regionally. Brands like Coffee Bean Tea & Leaf and Paris Baguette will be early adopters.

Insurance updates

For both Go-Jek and Grab, insurance has become an important avenue for attracting new drivers and riders. On this note, Grab partnered with China’s Zhong An Insurance back in January to expand its services.

Grab already offers medical leave insurance for drivers and personal accident insurance during all rides. It also has an Emerald Circle programme for drivers that covers lost earnings due to injury or illness.

The announcement today was that drivers can now use the app to tap into two different insurance products.

First, drivers will be able to top-up their long-term medical leave insurance within Grab. It would also allow drivers not using the Emerald Circle program to apply via the app.

The other update is Grab will let drivers top-up their personal-accident insurance using the app.

Over the rest of 2019, Grab will pursue policies of fractionalised premiums, micro-life insurance and critical illness policies.

Speaking on Grab’s overall financial services plan, Lai said,

“We are beating Southeast Asia’s fragmentation problem by bringing together the largest payments and financial services ecosystem. We have opened up our platform for more than 100 partners across a diverse set of industries ranging from malls to card networks and banks.”

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The post Breaking down how Grab is doubling-down on its financial product appeared first on e27.

Source: E27

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Grab introduced lending services, payment channels, insurance updates and even instalment plans

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