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Singapore Airlines & SilkAir are raising their fuel surcharges again - to between US$4 and US$38 for return flights. This will take effect for tickets issued on or after Tuesday. The last increase took place on Oct 24. http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_181868.html

http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/think-singapore-citizenship-sacred-guess-160000979.html Wow, our passport is worth $2.5 million............ i assume its in US dollars 1. Singapore – Price: $2,500,000What else could I tell you about Singapore that you don’t already know? It’s a global technology and banking hub that’s already being called the “new” Switzerland by investors from around the world. It’s also seen as a prime location for many companies looking to establish a presence in Southeast Asia. The fast track to Singapore citizenship lies through the Economic Development Board’s Global Investor Program. Through the program, you get instant PR status. And within 2 years you can apply for citizenship. Benefits of Citizenship: Tax Haven: There are no wealth taxes (capital gains, inheritance tax, etc.). Visa-Free Travel: Travel to 167 countries worldwide. Easier to Buy Property: Citizens notably have fewer restrictions to buying multiple properties in Singapore’s hot property market than PRs and foreigners do. VERY Business Friendly Nation: Unlike other nations, you can start a business in only a few days in Singapore, leading many to call it the most business friendly nation in the world. Lower Taxes: Taxes for high wealth individuals (20% flat tax) and companies (17% flat tax) are lower than most industrialized nations. Waiting Time for Citizenship: After waiting up to 3 months for approval to join the Global Investor Program (and $2.5 million dollars), you’ll be awarded PR status. After two years of residency, you can then apply for citizenship. Residency Requirement: Yes. Upon granting of your PR, you’ll be given a Re-Entry Permit that’s valid for 5 years so you can retain your PR. But you must either set up a business in Singapore with 5 Singaporean employees or you must reside in Singapore at least 6 months out of the year. Military Service Requirement: No. PRs under the Global Investor Program are exempt from serving NS (what’s up with that?!).

1 of my relay fuses was found to have blown up. The workshop (which I had never been to before) charged me $70 for it. Labour inclusive, just like to know whether that was a reasonable price so I know whether I can go back to them in future. Thanks!

Hi guys Based on past servicing I notice I pay 3% of car value for servicing each year A good example is vios at 3% means $3k servicing a year May I know for higher level cars like conti is it 5-10% of car value Eg Audi is 200k so servicing is $10k a year?

Folks, Autobacs billed me $278 for 4 sets of original Nissan iridium plugs. Is it the normal price? Coz I find it to ex

Electricity to cost more 05:55 AM Mar 31, 2010SINGAPORE - Electricity will cost more from April 1 to June 30. It will be the fourth consecutive quarter of increase. With the increase of about 3 per cent, electricity will cost 23.56 cents per kilowatt-hour. On average, families in four-room HDB flats will see a $2.47 increase in their monthly electricity bill for the quarter. SP Services said the hike is due to a continued increase in fuel oil prices. The average fuel oil price over the last three months has increased from $99.38 to $102.95 per barrel. The Energy Market Authority, the electricity industry regulator, has approved the revised tariff.

Oil prices fell in Asia Wednesday following a three-day rally as dealers were divided on whether the commodity has bottomed out after a plunge of nearly 60% since June, analysts said. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery fell 94 cents to US$52.11 (RM185.73) while Brent crude for March eased 47 cents to US$57.44 in mid-morning trade. WTI soared US$3.48 to US$53.05 Tuesday, its highest close since December 31, while Brent jumped US$3.16 to US$57.91, its best reading since December 30, as dealers cheered signs that the oil industry is tightening exploration activities to cap a supply glut. Ken Hasegawa, an energy trading manager at Newedge Group in Tokyo, said the crude market was "extremely volatile" after the three-day rally that began Friday saw prices surge nearly 20%. "It has become increasingly difficult to discern the direction of the prices of crude oil, but the fundamentals remain unchanged," Hasegawa told AFP. He added that prices could "fluctuate by increasing up to US$10 and falling up to US$10" in the short term. Deep cuts in capital spending by major oil companies, including new announcements Tuesday by BP and BG Group, had suggested there would be tighter supplies in the future. Last week, The Baker Hughes North America rig count report for the week to January 30 showed a drop of 128 rigs to 1,937. That compared with 2,393 a year ago. Some analysts however remain doubtful that the current oil price rebound will be sustained as supplies still outweigh demand in the immediate term. The oil market has lost more than half its value since June, when crude cost more than US$100 a barrel, largely due to a surge in global reserves boosted by robust US shale oil production. The problem was exacerbated in November after the Opec cartel insisted that it would maintain output levels despite plunging prices. The 12-nation group pumps about 30% of global crude. – AFP, February 4, 2015.

Hey hey hey ......... Sg make it again .......... top 10 ! World Ranking Who say Japan is expensive .......... haha

I was queuing in singpost when a auntie in front of me approach the counter and say want to pay road tax. She have the standard road tax slip with her. After the counter process, the cashier blip around 4.5k and she paid by cheque. When it's my turn I see the counter keep the slip, only 1 slip mean paying for 1 car. I may be suaku but What kind of car's road tax cost 4.5k?? A Ferrari issit? How is road tax calculated?

Why not charge the man for rape and send him to Yahoo news: Virginity worth $5,000, rules China court A Chinese woman who sued a man for "violating her right to virginity" after he wooed her with false promises has been awarded nearly $5,000 by a court, reports said Wednesday. The two were dating but after the woman, surnamed Chen, found out her boyfriend was already married she sued him for swindling her out of her virginity, accusing him of pretending to be single and pledging to make her his wife, Shanghai media said. A spokesman for the Pudong New Area People's Court confirmed the case and the judgement, but said the man had appealed the ruling. The two met online in 2009 but only began dating in 2013, later travelling to Singapore where they consummated the relationship, online media platform The Paper said. After the man, surnamed Li, suddenly broke off contact, Chen burst into his home and found him with his wife. Chen sued, accusing him of violating her rights to virginity and health and demanding more than $81,000 in psychological damages, plus medical costs of $250. The court found the original demand "excessive" but said in its ruling that the "right to virginity" should be protected by law as it was a "moral right" related to "sexual freedom, sexual safety and sexual purity". "Violating the right to virginity might lead to harm to a person's body, health, freedom and reputation... it ought to be compensated," the court said, though it did not explain how it reached the precise figure. The defendant did not appear in court, but through a lawyer he denied having sex with the woman. Although economic reforms have brought more sexual freedom to China and the Communist Party officially espouses gender equality, traditional attitudes are still widespread and the government remains conservative in some ways, enforcing family planning and refusing to recognise same-sex marriages. One commentator questioned the ruling in a microblog posting, asking: "It's understandable to demand compensation after being tricked, but what on earth are virginity rights? And what's the legal basis?" A woman who called herself Su Qinglian said: "Chinese law still has a saying about virginity rights -- that's really sexist." Link: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/virginity-worth-5-000-chinese-court-rules-092551576.html Don't play play with young XMM in China. It might cost you $5k ....

5 MAJOR FACTS ABOUT SINGAPORE THAT EVERY SINGAPOREAN SHOULD UNDERSTAND http://theinfluencermedia.com/2014/07/20/5-major-facts-about-singapore-that-every-singaporean-should-understand/ Lately there has been an ongoing trend of Singaporeans lashing out at the government, voicing out unhappiness and dissatisfaction. We saw a article of how we are ranked in the top most expensive cities, we had Roy Ngerng causing a huge stir about the CPF system, we had photo comparisons of what a 3-room flat in Bishan can be like a bungalow in Pennsylvania. Many people are saying that our ministers are getting paid too high and there is a large widening gap between the rich and the poor. To make things worse, the recent boom in foreigners has caused upset amongst Singaporeans, citing that Singapore has less Singaporeans than foreigners. We love comparing to successful first-world countries. Oh, look at how great Germany is doing. Look at how wonderful it is to live in the Scandinavian countries. It will be so much better to migrate to the UK or Australia. What I can tell you is that if you are someone who follows world news, global economics and politics closely, you will realize that every country has their own problems as well. 1) Population Control A.K.A. Why are there so many foreigners in Singapore? No, Singapore is NOT the only country that is facing an immigration issue. The United Kingdoms, Germany, Australia, United States of America, Canada is also facing the same issue. Ironically, these are the countries that Singaporeans want to migrate to because they believe they can enjoy a better lifestyle there. Before you start to tell everyone about your dreams to migrate, have you considered that when you migrate to a foreign country, you automatically become one of those foreign immigrants which Singaporeans are so upset about? Here is the hypocrisy when Singaporeans point out they are not happy that so many foreigners are overtaking Singapore, and Singaporeans say they want to migrate to other countries, and eventually they end up being a foreigner in a different land. And this is exactly how our first-world counterparts feel. People in Europe and the U.S. are complaining that there are so many Asians flowing into their country. Their own local populace is also crying out that there are too many people coming into their country. And this is why we must look into the reason on why immigration happens. People immigrate in hopes of finding a better lifestyle than staying in their home ground. Countries allow immigrants to come in, if they can provide the countries with benefits. Why has Singapore become a hotspot for immigrants? Let me introduce to you jobs which pay about $1,600-$1,800 a month, to do cleaning services, waitressing, laundry, bus operators, cashiering, clerk assistants or construction labor. Too many proud, and elitist mindset Singaporean graduates want the easy life and cannot handle hardship. If every Singaporean refuses to do blue-collar jobs, who will do it? Who will be the ones who keeps our streets clean, construct awe-inspiring buildings like the Esplanade, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, operate our MRT and bus services, serve our food at restaurants, maintain proper roads and infrastructure? 5 marina_bay_singapore The governments and employers have no choice, they need to open up the job offer to anyone outside our country, who are hungry for jobs and dont mind taking up the offer. And yet certain, bad-mouthing Singaporeans still complain that they get bad service from foreign workers. The notion here is, If you think you can do a better job than them, go ahead and do it instead of complaining 2) Treating the CPF system like it is a complete scam A certain blogger Roy Ngerng has churned out many infographs about how menacing the CPF system is. While the the information cannot be proved to be true, what we can comprehend is very clear. Personal income tax in Singapore averages 6.5%. The top marginal income tax you could ever hit is 20%. CPF contribution is also another 20%. This may sound harsh to you, but please take note that in other first-world countries, their personal income tax is higher than our maximum 20%. Some countries go up to 50%. Thats like an employer promising you a $4,000 salary but you only get to take home $2,000. In Singapore, we may only take home 70-80% of our net supposed salary. However, 20% of that amount is still technically yours. Unlike other countries, our government has not completely removed that 20% away, never to be seen again. It is simply kept in a retirement account. And the bonus is that you can still use your CPF to pay off any medical bills, insurances and housing bills. The CPF money can still be used and planned to a certain extent. I dont know about you, but I much rather have 20% in a retirement account than have it completely taken away by income tax. No matter how bad you might assume CPF is, its already a system that is much better than 90% of other countries. If you blatantly say you just want to migrate to other countries because there is no CPF there, you are forgetting something called 2-3x higher income tax rate 3) Complaining about Real Estate and Car Prices Thousands of motorists sit stuck in the Ladies and gentlemen, this is what our roads and highways will look like if the government makes car prices as low as that in the United States ($20,000 avg.) If we let every Singaporean have the privilege of owning a car, we will have infinite traffic jams, and even commuters who choose to take the bus will find themselves caught in these massive jams. Even motorcycle users will be affected. Air pollution indexes will raise higher than what our forest fire hazes have given us, and everyone will have to walk out with N95 masks everyday like the situation in Beijing. Is this what you want? Low car prices? Flash news! Singapore is an island state that is no more than 42km wide. It is irrational to blame the government for having such a small island to work with. Since we are born into a small country state, maybe its time to accept the fact that not everyone can be allowed to own a car. The COE system is put in place so that people with higher status, eg. businessmen, professionals, managers, politicians who have a bigger need for cars can afford the $70,000 to travel around. The notion here is that if you cant afford a car, simply settle for public transport. It only takes a maximum of 1 hour 15 minutes to travel from Tampines to Jurong via MRT. Anyway, if you are a financially educated person, you will know that owning a car is having more liabilities, which is a bad financial decision especially if you are aiming to get rich ASAP. In a way, the government is discouraging people from buying cars, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Which brings me to my point of soaring real estate prices in Singapore. HDB_10_2_1 We simply love comparing that our $400,000 3-room flat in Tampines/Bishan can afford us a freakin Villa (complete with poolside and balcony) in Thailand or Mexico. Let me emphasize again that we are a small island, so it is simply irrational to blame the government for having such a small island. We cannot build 1,000,000 Villas for the 1,000,000 households in Singapore for everyone to live in. There is not enough space. This is common sense that you cannot fit so many big houses into a small country. Take a look at other countries who are suffering from land shortages. Real estate prices in Hong Kong are more expensive than Singapores. Japans real estate prices is almost similar. Everywhere in the world, real estate prices are generally rising due to demand and supply from people who need a house. Another notion here is, if you cannot afford to buy a big house, settle for a small one, or just rent out a flat. And if you really want to live in a Villa with $400,000, please consider migrating because you wont find anymore hope here. 4) Difficulty of finding employment, even with a degree In agreement to point number 1, its really not the case that its hard to find employment in Singapore. Its more about us Singaporeans being too elitist and picky for own good. What do most of us always say we want to be upon graduation? 9168898_orig Oh, I wanna be a [insert industry here] manager Well, captain obvious, if the entire population dreams of becoming a manager, who will become the employee? Think about that just for awhile. Working as an employers assistance, I have posted out job listings calling for receptionists and customer service executives needed for SMEs. The pay given was $2,200, which includes potential commission if sales deals are closed over the counter. I specifically stated that the education level required was not necessary, as long as the applicant knows how to speak fluent English and their natural mother tongue. The catch? You must commit to a 6-day work week, 9 hours a day. This sounds like a grind, but, I got 0 replies from Singaporeans, and 20 replies from foreigners. You see, its not that its hard to get a job in Singapore. Its just that if everyone wanted to become managers, theres simply not enough. Once again, simple demand and supply concept. As for people who rant about how so many foreign workers are taking up managerial positions and commanding Singapore employees to do jobs instead, I believe that from a HR perspective, these foreigners have already achieved a good reputation through networking and work experience. Because honestly, if you are a Singaporean with a good track record of experience, and your foreign rival has no experience at all, any logical HR manager will hire you instead. Before we start jumping to conclusions, we need to take a step back and appreciate that some foreign workers indeed have the necessary years of experience required and have displayed good working habits in order to get the promotion to a managerial role. Trust me, if you set up your own business one day, and get a chance to be your own boss, you would also choose your employees based on their work attitude, personality, and years of experience. Nationality is a very weak subject in the world of employment. 5) No explanation needed Singapore-River 1_marina_bay_night_2012 Our government has transformed Singapore from 3rd-world kampung island to 1st-world global recognized state in a matter of 40 odd years. If you cant even appreciate this fact, its time to do some self-reflection of whether you can do a better job in their shoes, if we reset time to 1965. Jackie Loh Writer The Influencer Media

I knew it was expensive but I never knew how expensive till I read this. https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/true-cost-owning-car-singapore-160000880.html

I am trying to buy an old opc car for short term usage, like a few months to travel to Malaysia, I calculated that rental will probably cost 1k for the period I need. So I wonder if I can get something like this: http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=409498&DL=1000 Assume the coe paid was more than 17k (which I assume is for a car of 2004 registered), do I get back the normal parf that non-opc get? Is there body rate for a car like this? Will the scrap car dealer charge me anything for scrapping the car through them? What about insurance, say I buy 1 year of insurance with Aviva, when the car is scrap 4 months later, do I get back the remaining? Can opc be driven on Malaysia roads on weekdays afternoon?

now you know why they want to shift the airbase..... the land probably worths tens of billions develop and develop and develop...............................

Hi all its that time of year when my hands itch fer that new HD or UHD Tv at the IT shows but I resisted temptation as there is nothing wrong with my 7yr old FHD TV and I also thought I share some open secrets with the bros here. You guys probably know this already but do share your thoughts. High Product Obsolence and Low Inventory Turn over are the greatest nightmare for retailers and manufacturers. They directly translate to higher Stowage Costs, Higher Depreciation Costs and Higher Financing Costs on a daily basis. Right now its especially bad because there has been a substantive milestone technology leap when we see UHDs making the entrance into the mass market. In the past, to offset the above costs, manufacturers can write-off and "scrap" old 1080p panels instead of selling them at a 50-75% mark down. The reason for doing this is that I) they do not erode the price of existing models, and ii) at least 50% of the panel can be re-used and repackaged in a new FHD TV. E.g. they simply stick in wifi and better processors etc to convert the panel to a SMRT 3D TV for relaunch. This option is fast running out for manufacturers with the entry of UHDs mainly because the TV Panel (which is the most expensive part of the TV) in a FHD TV cannot be re-used in a UHD TV. So there is now a huge build up (over 12-24 months) of old FHD TVs which are gathering dust in stowage all over asia. Analyst have valued these obsolete panels at scrap value but retailers continue to try to sell them at "current retail price". Retailers get away with this because of market imperfections and indirect collusion amongst all the major brands (Korean and Japanese alike) not to drop price. This does not make economic sense as it costs the retailers more, to stow these obsolete panels, than to release them even at a 50-75% mark down. Basically as a rough gauge any FHD panel you see out there is obsolete given the UHD's entry into the market and the "real value" is at least 50%-75% off retail. For the moment there is still a case to be made for buying a non UHD (or FHD) TV due to general lack of 4k content. But this case is diminished as we see UHD panels approaching the price of FHD panels and it is very very glaring to see both in the same price range. There are of cause exceptions to the general rule (like Oled Curved TVs). Toshiba recently launched a 58" UHD TV at below $3,888/- but it was a dismal failure as the picture quality of the panel was even more inferior than that of a good FHD TV. The moral of the story being that more pixels do not necessarily mean a better panel and better picture quality. But these cases are rare exceptions and by and large the market will continue to see good quality UHDs approaching the price of FHD TVs due to economies of scale. Any way I am sure most of the bros here already know this. For me anyway, everytime I see a FHD TV now I will discount the retail price by 50%-75% and mentally value this with the mark down. Happy shopping and pls share your comments as usual :)

Some products cost more in S’pore than other cities: MAS & MTI study POSTED: 29 Apr 2014 12:36 Buying a product from Apple, Zara and IKEA could cost more in Singapore compared to 10 other cities, according to a study by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). SINGAPORE: Buying a product from Apple, Zara and IKEA could cost more in Singapore compared to 10 other cities, according to a study by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). According to the study -- which analyses price differences for 647 items from the three global brands across the 11 cities --"Singapore's prices are found to be relatively high in most instances". Releasing the findings on Tuesday as part of the its Macroeconomic Review, MAS said Singapore's prices are above the median for two-thirds of the items, and prices for about a quarter of them are below the median. This means that for the same brand, prices in Singapore can be higher than in other cities for some items but lower for others. Among the cities included in the study are London, Paris, New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong. MAS added that for most of the items which are more expensive in Singapore, the price premiums do not exceed 20 per cent. The report said pricing decisions of the firms are influenced by unit cost and demand for their products in the market. Still, the study pointed out that Singapore is not the most expensive location, and it is most expensive for only 6 per cent of the products. MAS said the three global brands in the study -- Apple, Zara and IKEA -- were chosen given the large number of identical consumer electronics, furniture, and apparel products that could be compared across cities. - CNA/nd http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...e/1089024.html Don't we already know and isn't this so obvious? Not only products, food also

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Audi a6 2.0t bmw 520/3 thinking of upgrading to either of these but i have no idea on these makes. which is more reliable and how is the maintenance like? have driven a 5 before and my memory recalls that it is a drinker...having to top up once every 3 days

My car which I bought 2nd hand comes with a slightly uneven driver side seat. Think the previous owner used to sit on one side of the seat. It's causing my spine problems as I easily spend 1-1.5hrs in my car a day. It's an Lexus IS250 and getting a stock seat seems like it'll cost me too much and most stockists in Singapore have told me they don't have it. So I'm looking for an alternative. Any suggestions? How much would a good seat cost?

Sky-high certificate of entitlement (COE) prices for commercial vehicles have become a worry for businesses, motor traders and the authorities. Premiums for vans, trucks and buses have been setting record after record in recent months. Now at $76,001, it has more than doubled its price since 2011 - chalking the biggest rise among all COE categories in the two years. The motor industry attributes the climb to three factors. First, there has been a construction boom that is driving demand for heavy vehicles such as concrete carriers and dump trucks. According to Mr Ron Lim, general manager of Nissan agent Tan Chong Motor, heavy vehicles now make up more than 50 per cent of commercial vehicle sales - up from the usual 20 per cent. Second, motor dealers are clearing existing stock ahead of a new emission standard that kicks in on Jan 1. Third, speculators may be hoarding COEs in the hope of turning a profit by reselling them to motor dealers stuck with stock as the new year draws nearer. Said Mr Lim: "If there is speculation, the Government should step in quickly to address the situation. Or consider a three- to six-month extension to the emission deadline. This should quell all speculative activities." The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it is hard to detect speculative activities. But it added that there are deterrents in place, such as a shorter three-month validity period for commercial COEs, half that of car certificates. Still, an LTA spokesman said it is looking at ways to improve the system, including putting light and heavy commercial vehicles in separate categories. Buyers of the latter are better able to tolerate high COE prices since heavy vehicles are far costlier. Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew told Parliament in March that the Government "will study carefully" if buyers of "light goods vehicles should pay the same COE premium as heavy and very heavy goods vehicles". Small and medium-sized businesses hope something will be done soon. Association of Small and Medium Enterprises president Chan Chong Beng said that the issue of high vehicle costs has overtaken labour shortage as the top concern raised by members. "For many small businesses, a vehicle is a must... And because of the new emission standard, prices will continue to rise next year, and that's very, very scary." Vehicle cost will account for a bigger cost component for businesses, Mr Chan added. "Many, like hawkers, will find it hard to pass it on to consumers." He said having separate COE categories for light and heavy vehicles would be "a good solution". Ms Ivy Tao, 54, who runs a fleet of buses ferrying workers, said she has no choice but to delay replacing her older vehicles. "COEs are high, fuel prices are high. We don't feel secure any more." LTA said businesses can consider extending their expiring COEs - by paying a prevailing quota premium - by five years, which they can do twice now since a restriction was lifted in February. Previously, these COEs could either be extended by five or 10 years. Owners who chose the former had to scrap their vehicles at the end of their extension. Since the policy change, LTA said about 96 per cent of commercial COE renewals have been for five years, up from 57. Source: http://www.stasiareport.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/businesses-motor-traders-authorities-worry-over-soaring-coe-cost-20131

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I accidentally hit the lower barrier when i went out of the car park. its on the right of the rear passenger door. Wondering how much will this cost to fix? Nissan car. Haiz.... thx for your replies in advance.

I did a google and tried searching the hotel website. Cannot find the info. Any bro here parked there before? Know the rates?

Hi all, Do you know how much it is to just do one simple number plate with holder in Singapore? Anyone know and can recommend a fast job, please let me know. Thank you. Regards,

Hi all, I am looking at replacing my stock springs with a set of lowering springs (already purchased the lowering springs). How much do shops here generally charge in labour to swap out the stock ones? Thanks.