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Fire at Tampines topples nearly century-old temple during CNY, worth of damages estimated at $300K

The Independent
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Fire at Tampines topples nearly century-old temple during CNY, worth of damages estimated at $300K

A seemingly normal and happy day became a nightmare to what recently happened to an 80-year-old Taoist temple in Tampines.

An unexpected fire incident at the Poh Ann Keng temple severely hit its front hall, prayer altar, and other mini statues on Feb. 9 in the morning, which was the fifth day of Lunar New Year.

At about 7:00 am, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was at heightened alert after the fire broke out at 95 Tampines Link, where the temple was situated.

SCDF cited the fire went quickly putting the praying altar under but was later called off through a water jet.

It was fortunate no injuries were ever recorded. Currently, SCDF is currently checking what caused the fire.

When asked, a certain Mr. Tan, 56, a temple volunteer, cited the damage was between $300,000 and $400,000.

He added he was very saddened by the incident. Several statues were gone in the fire and believed to be as old when the temple was built.

As reported, about 30 statuettes were seriously damaged in the blaze incident.

Xie Laifa, 70, a temple director, noted the almost century-old temple had shelled out tens of thousands of dollars for the renovation of the temple in November 2018.

Laifa shared the temple had several installations like a new exhaust fan and repainting jobs. Some of these statues were ordered from China. He noted seeing them all burned and gone to cinders was very unexpected.

Tan said they have talked to engineers to assess the damage and whether it is safe to begin the repair works.

Poh Ann Keng temple, popular for its five statues of the Monkey King, has a historical past of over 80 years when the late philanthropist Tan Kim Seng established the temple in the 1930s.

As cited in the temple’s website, most of the artifacts in the temple were more than a century old. The online site added the temple’s location underwent several shifts for the past 80 years.

Poh Ann Keng was initially found at Geylang then after World War II, it was moved to Peck Seah Street, serving its devotees.

In 1990, it returned to Geylang prior to being shifted to Upper Boon Keng Road three years later.

In 1996, it went to Braddell Road and moved back to Geylang after three years. In 2004, its new premises were opened in Tampines and stay there ever since.

Anti-graft busters closing in on Islamists-1MDB link, says report

Kazi Mahmood
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Anti-graft busters closing in on Islamists-1MDB link, says report

According to Malaysiakini, the Malaysian anti-graft busters are closing in on the Islamists in the PAS, zooming their investigation on high-end cars, motorcycles, huge bungalow residences said to be the property of party members.

The Malaysian news portal says this was disclosed by sources saying this is the latest focus of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency on the leaders of the party.

The PAS is accused of taking a bribe amounting to ringgit Malaysia 90 million from the Umno prior to the general elections in Malaysia last year. Reports say the money was to buy the support from the PAS in the May 9 general elections last year.

The whistleblowing blog, Sarawak Report published a series of documents, including voice recordings which it say are evidence of the PAS accepting money from Umno.

The party of ex-PM Najib Razak, Najib himself and the PAS leaders – including President Hadi Awang – denies any wrongdoing or having paid, or received any amount from the Umno.

However, the son of former spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Nik Abduh is said to have admitted the party received funds from the Umno. Sarawak Report published a recording in which Nik Abduh is heard saying the PAS took Umno’s money.

The latter has since then denied the allegations, saying it is not him speaking in the recording. But Sarawak Report, which published the article on Feb 4, insists it has witnesses who participated in the meeting saying it was the PAS member speaking.

In the latest MACC investigation, 8 PAS members and leaders will be called soon for questioning.

The source says an ex-PAS leader is suspected of owning expensive vehicles worth RM1.5 million and a bungalow house worth RM3 million.

The MACC is looking at leaders of the Islamist party who owns cars from the following brands: BMW 525’s, Mini Cooper, Toyota Vellfire, Toyota Camry and Toyota Fortuner.

According to reports, the leaders bought these cars cash.

Another 8 leaders are suspected of misusing funds, buying Porche Cayman, Range Rover, Audi A6, Toyota Vellfire dan Toyota Altis, Volkswagen Passat, Audi Q7, Mercedes Benz, motor BMW dan others.

The son of a top leader of the PAS is also said to own a high-end, expensive motorcycle.

People commenting on social media – where such information is in circulation for days now – says the party must explain the expensive items in the possession of their leaders.

Some are saying given the extent of the long arm of the law reaching out against the PAS, ex-PM Najib may lose his chance to lead congregations in the cell if he and the PAS leaders were to be found guilty of money laundering and of corrupt practices.

The leaders even bought VIP plates for these cars, the source told Malaysiakini.

The MACC has called the ex-secretary General of the PAS Nasharudin Mat Isa and the MP for Bachok, Kelantan, Nik Abduh to explain on the RM90 million funds.

Alternate debt repayment ways requires careful consideration

The Independent
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Alternate debt repayment ways requires careful consideration

When people think of debt repayment, the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is getting a large debt consolidation loan and paying everything off with that. The problem is, even with a large debt consolidation loan, you are still left with debt.

By: Hitesh Khan/

But still there are ways to borrow, but before you do that and consider alternate debt repayment ways, you should first ask yourself is there another way? You need to keep enough cash for three to six months of emergency money, but if by chance there is more, think about using that. You should also think if you have assets you can use? You may have some savings bonds, or some stock options, or an inheritance.

However, think carefully before you use long-term assets as alternate debt repayment options, as you may need this money in retirement.

Thinking hard if you are making payments on things you don’t really need is important when considering debt repayment.  Questions like ‘do I need the car’, and “do I need that Starhub TV” must all be considered, and you must be willing to get rid of the things and plans which are not really necessary.

In considering alternate debt repayment, you could you take a second job temporarily, and use the money from that to make extra payments on your debt. Perhaps your spouse or your older children take a temporary job to get you out of a tight situation as well.

If you do decide to borrow to deal with debt repayment, there are a number of different kinds of loans, which comes with the risks associated with them. You can’t borrow money without risk.

All of these types of loans can be used for the purpose of debt consolidation and debt repayment.

There is however a Catch-22 that many people face when looking to dig out of debt: the more you owe, the tougher it is to borrow, and the higher the interest rate you pay. Your goals should be to minimise the interest you are paying, net of tax, and to pay down the debt as quickly as possible.

If you live in a private apartment and have equity in your home, that is a logical place to look for funds. The interest rates are usually reasonable on home equity loans and lines of credit. The down-side is, f you can’t pay the loan back, you risk losing your home.

You may also refinance your first mortgage if current market rates are lower than your existing mortgage rate. The interest is tax-deductible. But if you default on your mortgage, you risk losing your home. Also, consider the costs of refinancing when evaluating this option.

5 tips for boosting your chances of getting personal loans

If you have any retirement plan, that could also be an alternative debt repayment source. But be mindful that you are borrowing from yourself, and are usually paying yourself back at the prime rate, or close to it. As such, you limit your return to approximately the prime rate, and if much of your retirement plan money is in equities, and they are performing well, you may be giving up quite a bit of gain. There is also the risk of not paying the loan back, being subject to withdrawal penalties, and jeopardizing your retirement.

Permanent life insurance is another source you should consider. The interest rate varies depending on the company, as do the fees. How much you can get depends on the cash value in your policy. If not repaid, you risk death benefits being reduced.

You cannot rule out family and friends when considering alternate debt repayment sources. But by doing that, you risk severe strains on the relationship. So, make sure that the loan is documented in writing and includes the specifics of the loan arrangement, such as the date of the loan, the parties involved, the date by which the loan is to be repaid, the number of payments, the interest rate (if applicable), etc. If the loan is for a large amount, consider having a lawyer draft a legally binding document.

Personal loans, regardless of if they are secured or unsecured, are another alternate source for debt repayment. But be mindful that interest rates tend to be high, and you risk getting further behind the 8-ball with high payments. Credit cards come in the same category as personal loans. But the risk about borrowing from credit cards is, the interest rates are generally up to 24%.

Licensed money lenders may offer you personal loans as well and the law requires that they charge no more than 4% interest per month on the amount you have borrowed.

Urgent loans can help you overcome short term hurdles

But before you approach a licensed money lender, consider other alternatives, such as the various financial assistance schemes offered by various Government agencies. As you are legally obliged to fulfil any loan contract you enter into with a licensed moneylender, consider whether you are able to abide by the contractual terms, bearing in mind your income and financial obligations.

Borrow only what you need and are able to repay. Be mindful that if you are unable to meet the contractual terms, the late payment fees and interest payment will be a financial strain not just on yourself but also on your family. The law requires moneylenders to explain the terms of a loan to you in a language you understand and to provide you with a copy of the loan contract. Make sure you fully understand the terms of the contract, in particular, the repayment schedule, the interest rate charged and the fees applicable.

Regardless of how much of a financial crunch you are in, you should always shop around different moneylenders for the most favourable terms. You should not rush into and commit yourself to a loan until you are satisfied with the terms and conditions.

How to Secure Personal Loans Quickly

If you are in a financial crunch and are searching for personal loans to expand your business, the loan consultants at iCompareLoan can set you up on a path that can get you a it in a quick and seamless manner. Our loan consultants have close links with the best lenders in town and can help you compare various loans and settle for a package that best suits your needs. Find out money saving tips here.

Our Affordability Tools help you make better property buying decisions. iCompareLoan Calculators help you ascertain the fair value of a property and find properties below market value in Singapore.

If you are looking for a new home loan or to refinance, our Mortgage brokers can help you get everything right from calculating mortgage repayment, comparing interest rates all through to securing the best home loans in Singapore. And the good thing is that all our services are free of charge. So it’s all worth it to secure a loan through us for your business expansion needs.

Contact us for advice on a new home loan.

Contact us for home loan or refinancing advice.

Dolce & Gabbana makes CNY-themed collection, angers Chinese after their racist remark last year

The Independent
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Dolce & Gabbana makes CNY-themed collection, angers Chinese after their racist remark last year

Dolce & Gabbana has recently released a collection of menswear celebrating the Year of the Pig for the Chinese New Year. Such actions have angered the Chinese community, especially those that have not moved on from Gabbana’s racist remark and being called a “country of s***” just last year.

The Italian luxury brand owned by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana faced the wrath of the Chinese last November when an Instagram conversation with Gabbana describing China as a “country of s***” surfaced on the Internet. Things got so bad that D&G themselves released a video apologising to the Chinese although the latter was not satisfied by the apology and deemed it insincere. This reaction may have been caused by the fact that it was not the first time that the brand has intentionally or unintentionally poked fun at one of the largest pool of spenders of the world.  The first incident was an advertising campaign that stereotyped the Chinese by showcasing a Chinese model struggling to eat pizza and cannoli with chopsticks.

The result? D&G had to cancel its show in Shanghai on November 21 and was removed from China’s major e-commerce platforms. Retailers in mainland China and even Hong Kong have stopped selling the brand’s products as well. This gave rise to the “not me” movement that has been adopted worldwide in a fight against stereotyping.

Watch their video apology below:

Now, the brand is trying to woo back its Chinese consumers by releasing a line of menswear that feature different pig designs in celebration of the Year of the Pig. True to D&G reputation, the price of the items is steep, with the T-shirts costing S$490 – S$590 while the hoodies go as high as S$1,546. The price tag of the ordinary-looking shirts has also caused a ruckus in the online community with some calling it an “overpriced Walmart shirt.”

D&G’s Year of the Pig Collection taken from their website

Whether or not D&G will get on the good graces of its China market is yet to unfold.

‘Colorful Filipino figure’ declares war on Malaysia and burns flag to prove his point

The Independent
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‘Colorful Filipino figure’ declares war on Malaysia and burns flag to prove his point

On January 21, 2019 a video was uploaded by a Philippine activist declaring war on Malaysia and burning its flag as an act of defiance.

The video started out with Ragen Elly Velez Lao Pamatong standing in the midst of his officials and behind a Malaysian flag. He introduced himself as the President of the Republic of the Philippines and Commander and Chief of the USA Freedom Fighters of the East (USAFFE) Liberation Army.

He proceeded by saying, “On behalf of the USAFFE Liberation Army, today, I will burn this symbol of Malaysia as a final act of defiance, a final act of declaration of war against Malaysia. I declare war against Malaysia.” The rest of the clip showed him burning the said flag while his followers shouted Ibagsak ang Malaysia! (overthrow Malaysia).

Watch the video here:

PRESIDENT RAGEN ELLY VELEZ LAO PAMATONG, USAFFE LIBERATION ARMY, MNLF CHRISTIAN WING, AND PRO-DEMOCRATIC SOLDIERS OF THE PHILIPPINES DECLARE WAR VERSUS MALAYSIA!— Declares BOL unconstitutional and an act of WAR vs. the Filipino People sponsored by Malaysia and by Rody Duterte, China Communist Puppet!Please watch the videoLike and sharePublished by Filipino Tax Payers and USAFFE News and Current Affairs International

Posted by President Pamatong Supporters on Monday, 21 January 2019

This was not the first time that Pamatong has done such an act. It was only a few days ago, on January 19, when he burned the flag of China in accusation of the latter’s “economic colonisation” and “dismemberment” of the Philippines. According to The Philippine Star, more than three million Chinese nationals have been allowed to enter the country from January 2016 to May 2018, and the numbers are steadily on the increase, which could be one of the points that Pamatong was trying to prove.

Watch the video here:

PRESIDENT PAMATONG BURNS CHINA'S FLAG.Camp MacArthur, 19 January 2019, President Ragen Lao Pamatong, legitimate President of the Philippines, burns the Flag of thePeople's Republic of China in vehement protest against China's invasion of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in violation of the final ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitrarion (PCA) that the WPS exclusively belongs to the Republic of the Philippines, recently renamed Republic of Malaya. President Pamatong also protesting against China's smuggling of three (3) million soldiers and workers into the Philippines through its puppet President, Rodrigo Road Duterte, who wants the Philippines to be a territory of China; and China's ongoing plan to bring into the Philippines five hundred (500) million more soldiers and workers to reduce the Filipinos into a helpless tiny ethnic minority into their own country.Please watch the videoLike and sharePublished by Filipino Tax Payers and USAFFE News and Current Affairs Internationalhttps://www.facebook.com/1250153354997735/posts/2387426064603786/

Posted by President Pamatong Supporters on Friday, 18 January 2019

He is the self-acclaimed founder of USAFFE in 2003, an organization meant to fight communist insurgency in Mindanao and has also declared himself to be the president of the Philippines back in 2017. This got him to being called a “colourful figure in politics” by a Philippine publication The Philippine Daily Inquirer. In fact, he ran for presidency twice in 2004 and 2010 but got shot down by the Commission on Election because he was considered to be a “nuisance candidate.”

Malaysia’s response

Naturally, Malaysia is upset. Malaysia’s foreign ministry responded by saying in a press release, “Malaysia strongly condemns such act and views the burning of the Malaysian flag as a serious incident. The flag is a sacred national symbol and should be treated with respect.” Pamatong’s views and actions were considered to be “offensive” and his accusations “baseless.” Furthermore, the Malaysian foreign ministry urged the Philippine government to take “stern action” against Pamatong’s defiance so as to not put an unnecessary strain between the two countries’ bilateral relations which are currently in an excellent state.

Philippines’ answers back

Another media outlet in the Philippines, the Manila Bulletin has reported that the Philippine Ambassador Charles Jose and the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur do not “condone the incident” and “deeply regrets” that what Pamatong did has offended Malaysia. The acts of defiance have been disavowed by the ambassador who also said, “His action does not represent the official position of the Philippines.”

Pamatong’s reasons

According to Malaysian media The New Straits Times (NST), Pamatong was heard airing his disagreements in the video against the Bangsamoro Organic Law which he believes to have been an idea of Malaysia. He also claimed that the BOL “served as a great wall”, similar to that of the Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall.

In reality, BOL is the result of almost two decades of peace negotiations between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that was agreed upon in 2014. It was given the green light last year by the real Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, who hopes to grant more autonomy to Mindanao, a predominantly Muslim region in the Philippines.

Burning the flag

Singapore has its fair share of activists who perceive burning a state flag to be a significant way of making a stand and expressing one’s freedom of expression. Jolovan Wham, in a tweet last year, was slammed by Singaporeans when he said, “The right to free expression should be extended to the right to burn the state flag” in relation to an article of a man who was arrested after burning the Singapore flag at a mosque. Read more below:

https://theindependent.sg.sg/singaporeans-slam-activist-jolovan-wham-for-saying-burning-the-state-flag-should-come-under-freedom-of-expression/

Boyfriend tries to give ang pow of S$316 to girl’s parents; she breaks up because it was too little

The Independent
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Boyfriend tries to give ang pow of S$316 to girl’s parents; she breaks up because it was too little

With the new year celebrations having recently ended, stories of the merriment and even stress are arising.  One such story is about a couple in Taiwan who broke up because the boyfriend’s ang pow for the girl’s parents was too low.

As the Chinese New Year approached, we saw posters on social media explaining how much ang pow money should be given to each relative or friend. It would seem that a certain couple missed the memo or at least had different standards when it came to ang pows. First released in Taiwanese media NowNews, a couple have broken up after the girl complained that the red packets her boyfriend was planning to give to her parents were too low. Just how much was “too small?” The guy wanted to give NT$3,600 (S$158) to each parent initially but the girl felt that it should have been NT$6,600 (S$290) each instead.

The guy, whose name has been kept confidential, took a screenshot of his conversation with his girlfriend and shared his problem on social media.

According to the guy and his caption, they have been going out for two months and the girl wanted him to visit her parents for Chinese New Year. He said, “She thought my NT$3,600 for a red packet was too little (sad emoji).” The girl, in their conversation said, “We’re celebrating the new year, not attending a wedding dinner! Don’t you feel a NT$3,600 (S$158) red packet is a little disrespectful? I hope you can be more sincere when it comes to my family. Many of my relatives will be coming over tomorrow. If you give my parents some “face”, it will help us in future.”

After a couple of hours of silent treatment had passed, the girl started to message the guy, questioning him if her request was “unreasonable”. She was even asking if the guy saw her parents as his own family and that she has already approved of him, hence the “meet the parents” endeavour.

Come the following morning, the guy replied by mentioning some down-to-earth opinions such as budgeting finances and not spending everything they earn or that he pays for everything in the relationship yet never complained or that they should only spend within their means. The girl somehow translated the guy’s speech as being called a burden and financially draining but still held on to the amount in the red packets as unacceptable. From that point, the guy realized that they had very different values and that they wouldn’t be happy if they continued as they were. Thus, concluded their relationship.

S$316 (for both parents) may seem trivial if you are living in Singapore but NT$7,200 is a big deal for someone in Taiwan who only earns around NT$40,000 (S$1,760) a month. In the words of the now free and single guy, we must “spend within our means” and not stress over what’s inside an ang pow, whether it’s S$158 or two 10-cent coins and a lucky 4D number.

Singapore, Australia, Japan preferable as a destination over Hong Kong for mainland Chinese tourists

Anna Maria Romero
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Singapore, Australia, Japan preferable as a destination over Hong Kong for mainland Chinese tourists

A new survey has shown that mainland Chinese tourists are showing a preference for the outdoor attractions of Singapore, Australia, and Japan over Hong Kong. Tourists from the mainland regard Hong Kong as primarily a place for short visits only.

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Kantar, a consultancy company, recently conducted a survey among 300 Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen residents. Of those who responded, 38 percent expressed a preference for Singapore as their choice for where to spend their holidays. Australia was the choice for 52 percent of the respondents, while 40 percent chose Japan.

Only 35 percent of those surveyed expressed a preference for Hong Kong.

Other respondents expressed the desire to visit Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, and India.

The report from Kantar, which was released in January, said that would-be holidaymakers from mainland China look for diverse experiences, with ninety percent stating that having a variety of choices of activities is important to them.

It goes on to say, “The dominance of nature in the minds of urban Chinese leisure travelers may, at face value, present a challenge for retailers, malls, theme parks, and other places.”

Despite their preferences, tourists from mainland China continue to visit Hong Kong in droves. In 2018, Hong Kong was visited by 65.1 million people, an all-time high for the city. Seventy-eight percent, or 51 million, were from mainland China, which means that 140,000 mainland Chinese arrived daily, showing a rise of nearly 15 percent from 2017.

However, SCMP reports that Hong Kong’s Tourism Board believes this year could be “bumpy and unpredictable,” with mainlander visitors now perceiving Hong Kong to only be a place for short-term visits while preferring to go to South East Asia or Europe for longer holidays.

Additionally, according to the report, “Hong Kong outperforms Singapore on most factors, but when it comes to perceptions of safety and cleanliness, Singapore dominates all [Asia-Pacific] markets, though it is held back by its lack of nature and outdoor [activities].”

Read related: Chinese vs. Chinese? HK activists protest number of mainland visitors, ‘Please stop coming to Hong Kong’

https://theindependent.sg.sg/chinese-vs-chinese-hk-activists-protest-number-of-mainland-visitors-please-stop-coming-to-hong-kong/

 

Malaysia could inspire other Asean countries in terms of freedom

Kazi Mahmood
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Malaysia could inspire other Asean countries in terms of freedom

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s banter against Najib Razak whom he called a ‘kleptocrat’ came with promises his government will move forward with a comprehensive plan that could upgrade Malaysia’s anti-graft rating.

Saying he is unperturbed by the sudden rise in popularity of his predecessor, ex-PM Najib Razak, the Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the latter’s popularity is due to the Pakatan Harapan’s practice of freedom of expression.

It thus appears that Malaysia may altogether rise as the country with greater freedom of expression than any of the Asean countries, giving the country a completely new image.

But it still has a long way to go to become the champion of liberty and justice against kleptocrats and their henchmen and women.

Nevertheless, Malaysia has the moral responsibility to act wisely and justly in its attempt to clean the country of financial crimes.

Whether this will impact on the Asean or on other Asean member states may depend on how successful the country is in implementing its national anti-corruption agenda (recently adopted by the government) and whether the justice system is squeaky clean.

Amid a rise in calls to arrest Najib Razak for treason (over the massive loss of funds in the 1MDB scandal), the Pakatan Harapan government is being forced to hurry the crucifixion of the ex-PM.

This is where the PH has to remain true to its agenda of change in the country. Letting Najib play his game while he hopes he can become the beloved PM again, is part of the deal.

And this is what was promised in the run-up to the GE14 campaign in Malaysia when the PH anointed Dr Mahathir as the Prime Ministerial candidate against Najib in May last year.

It is this absolute freedom for the new opposition to imposing itself democratically that is at play.

It does not matter how much irritation is caused by Najib’s running around mocking the PH regime and gaining traction among Malays, in particular, it will take, but the PH must uphold the principles of the freedom of the judiciary first.

Many believe AllNajib has been treated with soft gloves so far, while others were given harsher treatment for lesser criminal offenses and this has caused a rise in popular calls to get Najib behind bars – forcefully.

Nevertheless, some analysts are predicting that Najib will walk free in the end. They assure their readers the ex-PM will find his way out of the mess since the cases stacked against him will take years and will outlive Dr Mahathir’s tenure in office.

They are predicting that Anwar Ibrahim, the PM-in-waiting, will eventually seek the pardon for Najib even if the latter is found guilty by the courts.

This is the type of situation that Malaysia should avoid in the future, as it will destroy the faith in the rise of a nation that believes in trust, justice and punishment for the many perpetrators of crime from the previous regime.

RedMart draws flak from loyal customer after announcing merger with Lazada

Jewel Stolarchuk
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RedMart draws flak from loyal customer after announcing merger with Lazada

Online grocery shopping portal RedMart’s recent announcement that it is merging with Lazada has not been well-received by all of its customers. One loyal customer has publicly criticised the company for the partnership with Lazada and has asserted that the merger would result in the “loss of a supermarket game changer” that RedMart has been, thus far.

RedMart was founded in August 2011 to help make grocery shopping easier for customers by allowing them to purchase groceries and household essentials online at anytime and delivering the products to customers at their doorsteps.

In 2016, Alibaba-backed shopping platform Lazada acquired RedMart. This year, RedMart announced that it will cease its operations from its own website and that it will move to Lazada’s platform from 15 March 2019.

One loyal customer has hit out at RedMart over this move. Facebook user Sara-Ann Shuen Krishnamoorthy said over the weekend that this move may be a loss to customers who flocked to RedMart due to its streamlined shopping process. She said:

“RedMart this might be your worst move ever. But it’s only my humble opinion. Who am I to comment. I only shop online for EVERYTHING.

“When I want to shop for groceries. I don’t need the biggest selection on earth. If not I’d shop on taobao for groceries. (And Lazada interface looks increasingly like Taobao – which is great for young people. But so elder unfriendly. And these the kind of people who would need help carrying heavy essentials back home!)

“What a loss of the supermarket game changer. Though I get it’s par for the course with acquisitions. Pfft. What I liked about Redmart was that it was streamlined, easy to use and it was easy to find things, fast.”

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158218585214942&set=a.10151451926424942&type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARD9hzKv1HCzvjOoHcmpxq8WEk8emSJKtXygxpq6ZFRcX4mwNReAZBpiFS6YEn4Zeix1HEMKXwtQr8YWs9zKQ-L5CriwEntQoonaoD8ZxsjHdKfewiQ3ey3CEhzDzQGUJ-ForpkAI2Piz-ssmQ4302eS5udljSacAlCwTc32fPH32qyp_MzeQn6vJiGk1qW0HxpibObZpQg5pZrBJw&__tn__=-R

Malaysian politician on Deputy Foreign Minister’s fake University of Cambridge degree: “as long as people don’t rape or steal, it is fine”

The Independent
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Malaysian politician on Deputy Foreign Minister’s fake University of Cambridge degree: “as long as people don’t rape or steal, it is fine”

Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya is currently under much criticism regarding his educational background although he has the support of his political party Parti Pribumi Malaysia Bersatu (PPBM), including the son of Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

Only a few days ago, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Malaysia experienced a spotlight being placed on his academic credentials specifically his Business Administration degree which he allegedly got from the University of Cambridge’s distance-learning programme.

It was a member of the online community who decided to do some digging and discovered that this prestigious university does not offer such degrees. When brought to light, the Deputy Foreign Minister was confident at first to prove that his educational background was legitimate but took it back a day after and confirmed that “there was a misunderstanding” and he graduated from a US-based Cambridge International University and not the University of Cambridge.

To add some more kindle to the fire, it has been revealed that CIU was a diploma mill and released fake degrees for a fee. It also had a fraudulent list of professors and staff whose pictures were screen-grabbed from other sources like online dating sites and merely had a change of identity.

Read more below:

https://theindependent.sg.sg/malaysian-deputy-minister-marzuki-confirms-he-does-not-have-a-degree-from-the-university-of-cambridge-but-from-diploma-mill/

Mukhriz Mahathir, the Chief Minister or Menteri Besar of Kedah state said that Mr. Marzuki was not given his role as the Deputy Foreign Minister based on his degree or where it came from. In a statement to the Star Online, the son of Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said, “As far as I know, he never declared that he was supposedly a Cambridge University graduate. That only came out in Wikipedia. For his own knowledge, he attended a course by an American online institution which unfortunately had a similar name. I’m sure he was not picked to be a deputy minister on the supposed merit of his brandishing a Cambridge University degree.”

Why then was Mr. Marzuki confident in saying he could prove that he obtained a degree from the University of Cambridge at the beginning of this controversy?

Tariq Ismail, a member of the PPBM party’s supreme council has spoken up and said that the Deputy Minister will not become the CEO of multinational companies like Goldman Sachs nor will he bring Enron back to life, therefore it is fine. Mr. Tariq went on to say that “All those people who headed those companies had degrees but were crooks who stole. A degree is just a piece of paper that gets you into the workplace. The rest is up to you. Having a dubious degree or not having graduated can be a stigma, but as long as people don’t rape or steal, it is fine.” He added that he would rather be affiliated with Mr. Marzuki because of his humility over those with legitimate degrees from Cambridge. He would even hire more people from the “fake Cambridge” because they are not entitled like those who came from the elite school. “From his humility and hard work, I’d hire the one from fake Cambridge. The real Cambridge, I’d throw them in the river because they think they own the world and the world has to continuously chase them. People should look for dedication and teamwork,” he added.

In case you’re wondering what the future has in store for the diploma mill and whether or not there will be more graduates coming from this “university”, CIU’s website has been hacked as of February 8.

The only question left to ask would be not on the facts but on the integrity of a prominent head of state regarding the whole incident.

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