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Oh this vouchers are for public housing households only, and private households don't get it? I saw it stated as every household leh. Anyway the vouchers valid until dec 2027, can use it to buy taps and shower heads. Taps don't last very long these days, and shower heads actually need to replace every year, they get quite dirty inside actually. I might consider a mini fridge as a standby use or a small small washing machine to wash floor matts.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/passport-less-clearance-to-be-rolled-out-at-all-checkpoints-from-2024 SINGAPORE – Singapore residents and visitors leaving the Republic will be able to clear checkpoints without having to use their passports from 2024. Instead, they can clear immigration via QR code at land checkpoints if travelling by car, or the new contactless Automated Border Control System (ABCS) at passenger halls. During its workplan seminar at the Singapore Expo on Friday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said the manual counters at all passenger halls at checkpoints will be progressively replaced by about 800 automated lanes using ABCS from the first quarter of 2024. The ABCS lanes will use biometrics for clearance, and are part of the ICA’s new clearance concept (NCC), which was announced in 2019. The NCC transformation plan aims to provide faster and more secure immigration and Customs clearance. The system was trialled at Tuas Checkpoint and Changi Airport Terminal 4 in 2019. For those travelling by car, ICA said it trialled the Automated Passenger In-Car Clearance System (Apics) in 2022, with about 94 per cent of travellers able to use the system without assistance from officers. ICA will be working with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency to further improve Apics before rolling it out in phases at the land checkpoints. The first phase, expected in early 2024, will introduce QR code scanning in lieu of passport scanning at land checkpoints. Those travelling by car can create a profile and generate a QR code via the MyICA mobile app, allowing them to scan the code at the manual immigration counters, where ICA officers will conduct facial image checks on the travellers using the QR code data. The same QR code can be used for future trips if the traveller’s passport details do not need to be updated. From 2026, Apics lanes will be introduced at Tuas Checkpoint, allowing travellers to scan their generated QR codes and present their biometrics for identity verification, removing the need for officers to be stationed at every car lane. Apics lanes are expected to be introduced at the redeveloped Woodlands Checkpoint from 2028. The event on Friday also saw ICA celebrating its 20th anniversary. The authority was formed in 2003 from a merger of Singapore Immigration and Registration and the checkpoint operations of the Customs and Excise Department. The seminar’s theme was “Remembering Our Past, Securing Our Future”. Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam, guest of honour at the event, said the checkpoints are expected to get busier, with more challenges for the ICA. “Terrorism threats remain very real, we never know when the next pandemic may strike, and there is a limit to how much manpower we can call on, given that Singapore has an ageing population,” he said. “And really, the answer to all of these is further transformation.” He is confident the ICA will be able to step up to tackle these challenges. “ICA’s development over the years has been possible only because ICA has been, and remains, agile, clear-sighted, bold, and at its core, has officers who are continually being developed with the ultimate commitment to serve our citizens wholeheartedly,” he said. “I think we all can be confident that ICA will continue to deliver on its mission as a world-class border and immigration agency, and I look forward – we all look forward – to the continued transformation.” Other aspects of the NCC featured during the seminar on Friday included the Automated Clearance Initiative, which was implemented in May 2022. ICA said more than four million foreign visitors from 51 jurisdictions have enrolled in the initiative and cleared immigration using automated lanes, with their biometric details. During Budget 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs said it will be spending more than $1 billion on development projects this year, including the ABCS. Special assistance lanes, which were introduced at some passenger halls in Changi Airport last December and allow multiple travellers to perform immigration self-clearance as a group, will be extended to other checkpoints from end-2023. For cargo, ICA said it cleared more than 9.7 million containers, consignments and parcels in 2022, with the volume expected to increase in the coming years. To help officers better detect potential threats, ICA is trialling the use of artificial intelligence to track anomalies in the scanned images of cargo, parcels and baggage. Another transformation plan featured at the seminar is ICA’s Services Centre Next Generation (SCNG), which aims to provide a “No Fuss; No Visit; No Waiting” experience. As part of SCNG, all of ICA’s core application services, such as birth and death registration and passport renewal, are available online as at end-2022. A new ICA Services Centre, which will be located next to the existing ICA Building in Kallang, is expected to begin operations in 2024 as a one-stop centre for all of ICA’s services. The centre will also allow self-collection of identity cards and passports. ICA said: “Over the past 20 years, ICA has continually adapted and innovated to be able to secure our borders even in the face of rising traveller and cargo volumes, and while facilitating these movements. “ICA will press on with our journey to transform border clearance and immigration and registration services, to bring about a fundamental, positive change in how ICA interacts with the public at all our touchpoints.”

which is why every red light beater or any offense i report. if nothing else it helps to build up a case that the driver is an a**hole.

If 红星大奖 has a "最佳废话奖", every year you cfm 高票当选.

All Time Award confirm she must show up la. But Top 10 award, can no need to show up. Like i said, this All Time Award likely is rig, you see every year default will have 2 artistes get this award. So in every year Top 10 award, those left 1 more award to go, confirmed will get them over the line, no matter who.

The day will come to us sooner where wanton disregard for traffic laws and rules create more reckless motorists. Laws are useless when there is serious lack of enforcemet, lenient punishment and many more are so brave to drive wo licence, insurance these days. Instead of being firm and coming down hard by giving out a severe sentence, we often see bochup kind of slap on the wrist punishment. Why? Accidents that caused death(s), severe/permanent injuries are on the rise. Racing is so encouraged because won't get caught one lah. Even if caught, pay fines can liao. With more idiots on the roads, normal punishments will not work anymore. These are idiots. Whenever there is strong evidence of recklessness, vehicles must be confiscated, 5 minimum stokes CANING is mandatory, jail and lifetime ban. We do not need to be kind or nice to idiots who kill innocent people just because they sit behind a machine that can kill. Gosh. All the injured people and damaged vehicles are in the right - lights in their favour and going about life like many others all over the island. What right does recklessness and complete disregard have to cause death and so much damage? Are we encouraging such behaviour? Are we going to be unaffected? Do not wait until people lose respect for the effectiveness of laws and create fear for other law abiding road users, for matters to escalate out of control. What good are a set of laws that are not enforced? What good for reckless drivers/motorists to be caught but released without genuine remorse, because the punishment sends a message that accidents happen. Sure they do. But if accidents happen in light of strong disregard for traffic laws, then it is murder. RIP to the victims. And full, speedy recovery to all hurt. Tmd. Fed up with such idiots. Who cares if they are from good family? Who cares if they are drunk or on drugs? Anyone care about the rights of the dead? They deserve to live, be fetched about without fear of "accidents". And what if the victims are also from good family? Pardon my rants. Been awhile. Every day, so many idiots on the roads. World class transport system means less fatal accidents too isn't it?

Once can no longer put up a fight against the Cheena EVs, just declare your car company don't believe in 100% EVs, only believe in 50% EVs by 2030, only believe in hydrogen tech, only believe in sustainable synthetic fuels for ICEs etc. Many excuses to use 🤣 But I do think 100% EVs is not going to be possible at every corner of the globe even by 2040s.

Sadly our laws still not tough enough. Dangerous driving causing death is 2-8yrs. And that is if he doesn’t claim to be mental. Which every father mother son uses these day to get away.

白发人送黑发人 Every parents worse fear

I also don't know why he can be altar. Maybe ownself vote for ownself every year😅

This happens every single day during peak hour. Nothing special. If LTA or TP is not setting up enforcement cameras there, then who is to blame?

It seems, in the civil service, a lousy scholar who so long he don't screw up big time, will end up in a higher position than an excellent farmer (non-scholar), even if the farmer is better and more productive than the scholar. How meritocratic is this? Scholars can easily get back-to-back promotions and continually top level performance grading, while a farmer will never be considered for back-to-back promotion (no matter how good) and worse, performance grading after every promotion is a default 'C'. Again, how meritocratic is this? If these scholars are put on an even footing with the farmers, same starting point, same running equipments ..., I dare say the results at the finishing line will be astonishing. Comments?

Cheap? Funan is Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays 12am to 2.59am: S$0.65 for every 15 minutes 3am to 5.59pm: S$2.60 for first 2 hours, S$0.65 for subsequent 15 minutes 6pm to 11.59pm: S$3.30 per entry

I'll throw the averages out... every year is hotter than the last... climate change is really warming up the weather significantly... although also may get freak weather so that it dips really low too... really who knows what we will get... the sakura season was early this year I understand due to the warming... so I guess that's a warning not to get your hopes too high?

Yes. Next another two altar. Yvonne Lim and Pornstar. So like i said, every year also will have two artists altar. This award is like stage.

Every year the same lah. So many years still cannot do timing properly. So unprofessional

I was driving leisurely back from my hometown @ Kukup to Singapore this morning on a Good Friday. After passing by Malaysia custom at 2nd link, I saw nothing but cars, many many cars in the highway all cannot move struck in the massive massive jams leading into Malaysia. Every 200m there are police personal watching for Q-cutting vehicles, esp those who like to cut using road shoulder like what I will do. So everyone please be careful and do not cut Q. I drove along the 2nd link for a good 2-3 minutes and found that the Q were so terrible that it stretched about 3-5 km until Singapore custom. ITs about 9am in the morning so I reckon those vehicles will reach JB at about 1pm cos they Q is not moving. Next time if must go Malaysia, please reach Singapore custom at 4-5 am in the morning. AT least the jams wouldnt be so terrible!

Did they purposely every year 超级红星 also must have two artists to get this award? Like this award is script. So fake. 🙄

But this show win the star award every year wor.

Win gold but lost every respect, want to confront at least Siam the camera, and don't start pushing first. But well, is ACS(I), not surprise at all.

Now, forgive me if I'm not making sense here, but isn't it common sense to go a little slower in underground car parks, where the road is a little slippery and it makes your tyres screech like a banshee at every 90 degree corner you have to make a turn at. Especially at the exits and entry lanes, where the road is narrow and there are humps every few metres to deliberately keep your speed low. So, please tell me how an accident like this could happen, as per the video below.This accident happened yesterday, and this video is actually taken by me as I witnessed the aftermath of the accident as I was leaving IKEA Alexandra around 4pm. According to a friend who left earlier than I did, this accident definitely happened before 3.35pm, and Singaporeans being Singaporeans, it obviously did cause a bit of a wait to leave the car park because everyone was slowing down to gawk at the accident and possibly to take down the licence plate numbers to... buy... 4D..... (why, people, why? That's just schadenfreude) So as you can see from the video, the Volvo somehow managed to hit both Volkswagens (2-for-1), the first car being clipped in the right rear quarter while the second car, was, well, kissed pretty hard in the front. From what can be seen of the Volvo, it doesn't look too good for it either. The front left wheel seems to be partially dislodged and who knows what's going on with what isn't visible to the camera. Fortunately for the Volvo driver, in spite of their inability to drive properly in a car park, Volvo has invested tons of money into making their cars really safe, as seen here, here, here and here. Unfortunately, I don't think Volvo has figured out a way to account for a less-than-attentive/capable driver who can't concentrate in a narrow car park and ends up causing a proper headache for everyone involved. All in, the damage to all three cars look to be pretty bad. But the only thing worst than this accident was the line of cars along Alexandra Road that couldn't enter the IKEA carpark because this accident had basically blocked off the only way to get down into the car park. I didn't get footage of that, but I don't envy the IKEA staff member who was standing in the hot sun explaining to irate drivers why they couldn't enter the car park. Here's hoping that guy didn't have it too bad, because we all know how Singaporeans can get if they aren't queuing for something they enjoy, like bubble tea or bakkwa. An ambulance was seen arriving just as I was leaving, so here's hoping that if anyone was injured, their injuries were minor, and let's all practice safe and attentive driving not only while on the roads, but in car parks as well. Especially on Sundays at IKEA, because there are waaaaaay too many people there already and the last thing we all need is for someone to lose their temper over something trivial.

VW Singapore plots Skoda comeback Volkswagen-owned Czech brand Skoda is making a comeback, yet again. But this time, it is parent group Volkswagen which will do its own importing and retailing here. Volkswagen Group Singapore - the manufacturer-owned importer and retailer of Volkswagen vehicles here - has registered a new company for this purpose. According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Skoda Centre Singapore was registered last month and will be operating out of 247 Alexandra Road, which is the same address as the VW showroom. The Straits Times understands renovations are being carried out at the facility and that Skoda Centre Singapore will start operations in the first quarter of next year. Volkswagen Group Singapore was not available for comment, but it is understood that a meaningful price differential will be in place to re-launch the Czech brand here. Previously, Skoda cars - which are based on Volkswagens - were the same price or even costlier than equivalent VW models. In other markets, Skodas are cheaper. The brand was last represented by Harvest Automobiles, part of businessman Peter Kwee's now dormant motor group of companies. Harvest Automobiles went bust in 2013 - the third Skoda agency to have failed in Singapore. The Straits Times understands Vertex Automobiles, the dealer for Chinese automobile brand Chery that is owned by egg trader Lian Fong, had made a pitch for the Skoda franchise. But it has since landed Seat, a Spanish brand also owned by Volkswagen Group. Skoda had also been courting Trans Eurokars, a multi-franchise group owned by businessman Karsono Kwee. Among its brands are Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mini and Mazda. The best year for the Skoda brand here was 2010, when it sold 105 cars. That is less than 4 per cent of Volkswagen sales last year. Will the brand have better success under Volkswagen? Nanyang Business School's Adjunct Associate Professor Zafar Momin, previously an automotive expert with the Boston Consulting Group, said: "Skoda may be able to make a comeback in Singapore if priced and promoted properly. It needs to be very competitive with its Korean competitors in terms of pricing, as it could provide solid, competitive products targeted at value segments of the markets. "With VW Singapore now doing it themselves, it has a better chance than before. Having said that, I wonder what "comeback" really means in a small crowded Singapore car market which has small volumes for many non-mainstream brands. Would it really be worth the effort and to what extent would it cannibalise VW products?" When contacted back in 2014 - when Harvest Automobiles relinquished the business - Volkswagen Group Singapore said it had no plans to take over the Skoda retail business here. It has, however, taken over the maintenance and warranty of Skodas here. There are about 400 Skoda cars in Singapore today. As a onwer of both Skoda and VW model, I can attest that Skoda is indeed better, in almost every aspect, than VW. I can wait to welcome it back to Singapore!! Here are some interesting models in current Skoda lineup, that I hope can be made available to local motorist when sales start next year. Superb Superb Combi Kodiaq

My neighbour is best. he/she just moved into my estate. got 2 cars. The Car #1 is parked at the only single lot in the MSCP (this single lot used to be occupied by 2 other neighbours) Before going out, he/she will move Car #2 and occupy that lot. When Car #1 is back, Car #2 will move out and let Car #1 park while it moves back to the open air carpark. Every morning the domestic helper will wash both cars (one parked upstairs at the single lot and one downstairs at the open lot) This neighbour really champion.. to go thru the effort liddat just to occupy the single lot.

I owned a few cars that have the auto-park feature...GS/GLC/clubman....but every time I tried to use the feature for novelty and maybe hoping that with technology advancement, it will be faster and smoother.... every time I find that I park faster manually...So the feature is essentially white elephant in all these cars I owned...😅

Across the road also will kena? https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/i-smell-oil-every-day-buangkok-residents-complain-foul-air-8-exhaust-pipes-rooftop 'I smell oil every day': Buangkok residents complain of foul air from 8 exhaust pipes on rooftop of neighbouring mall Residents in a Buangkok HDB block have been left fuming following the installation of exhaust pipes on the rooftop of a neighbouring mall. One resident surnamed Sun complained about the smell of oil and smoke emanating from the exhaust pipes which are visible from her flat window. The 44-year-old who lives at Block 999B Buangkok Crescent told Shin Min Daily News that her home faces Buangkok Square shopping mall. She purchased the high-rise unit early last year, and claimed that there was no such smell when renovations were ongoing then. The eight exhaust pipes on the mall's rooftop were install to get rid of the fumes from the F&B establishments inside the mall. "Every time I open the window there's an oil smell. It forces me to shut the windows or open them slightly." Sun installed an air purifier in her home, and has placed several fragrance bags around the house to combat the smell. She has also made complaints through the OneService app, but was told that the installation of the exhaust pipes comply with regulations as they did not directly face her flat. "I spent about $600,000 buying this unit, hoping to get a breath of fresh air. But I work from home and I smell oil every day, which is ridiculous," the woman lamented, adding that the stench gets worse when there's no wind. Sun said she would consider moving if the situation doesn't improve. Another resident surnamed Huang, who stays on the 10th floor in the same block told Shin Min he's been complaining about the smell since 2020. Although the authorities have tried to mitigate the situation, the 36-year-old feels that their efforts are not enough. "Previous, the two large exhaust pipes were uncovered and we could smell the oil every day. Since then, they've added covers. "Although the exhaust pipes face downwards, the situation hasn't improved and the smell of smoke and oil is still very pungent," said Huang. Another resident also surnamed Huang said the smell isn't the only problem. "They are very noisy, especially when I live on the same level opposite [the pipes]. I realised that many exhaust pipes in shopping malls are built in the basement. Why are the ones here installed on the rooftop?" Exhaust pipes comply with regulations: HDB In response to Shin Min's queries, a spokesperson from the Housing Development Board (HDB) said that the exhaust pipes comply with regulations. The spokesperson said that authorities had studied the site before installing the exhaust pipes and did not find any issues. "To mitigate any odour which might seep into residents' homes, the exhaust pipes on the rooftop of Buangkok Square were originally designed to face Buangkok Crescent with a four-lane road separating it from Block 999B. "Buangkok Square is 60m away from the HDB flat which exceeds the minimum requirement of 20m," said the spokesperson. The National Environment Agency told Shin Min that their inspections show no excessive odour emitting from the exhaust pipes. They added that their air purification systems are also in working condition. The F&B operators also regularly hire contractors to carry out regular maintenance works on the exhaust pipes.