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New BudgetMealGoWhere portal to help residents find cheaper meals in HDB coffee shops A new website to help residents find cheaper meals in the neighbourhood was launched by HDB and GovTech on May 19 Named BudgetMealGoWhere, about 40 participating coffee shops are listed for a start Coffee shops and the available budget meal options will start with those located within 2km of the postal code entered HDB said that budget meals will progressively be offered at all 374 HDB rental coffee shops by 2026 Patrons and stall owners interviewed generally welcomed the new initiative and made some suggestions on what they would like to see SINGAPORE — A new portal has been launched to help consumers easily locate Housing and Development Board (HDB) coffee shops offering budget meals. HDB and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) said in a joint statement on Friday (May 19) that the new “BudgetMealGoWhere” website will allow the public to search for HDB coffee shops offering budget meals near their location and view the budget meals and drinks available at these places. This can be done by entering a postal code in the website’s search box. A list of the coffee shops and the available budget meal options will appear, starting with those located within 2km of the postal code. The portal will also be accessible through the LifeSG mobile application and website. Budget meal options refer to lunch or dinner meals that are priced affordably compared to the average price of meals sold at nearby eating establishments. These budget meals must be full meals, and not side dishes, snacks, children's meal or half-portion meals. Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for National Development, announced in Parliament in March that all coffee shops leased from HDB have to offer budget meal options upon their tenancy renewal starting May. As a start, all older coffee shops leased from HDB that are due for renewal will need to provide four budget meals and two budget drinks across two or more different stalls as a condition of their tenancy renewal. Two of the budget meals must be rice-based and one must be halal. These coffee shops must also offer at least two budget drinks, which are black coffee (kopi-o) and black tea (teh-o). "The budget meal and drink prices will be benchmarked against economically priced food-and-beverage offerings in nearby neighbourhood coffee shops," Ms Sim said at the time. Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for National Development, announced in Parliament in March that all coffee shops leased from HDB have to offer budget meal options upon their tenancy renewal starting May. As a start, all older coffee shops leased from HDB that are due for renewal will need to provide four budget meals and two budget drinks across two or more different stalls as a condition of their tenancy renewal. Two of the budget meals must be rice-based and one must be halal. These coffee shops must also offer at least two budget drinks, which are black coffee (kopi-o) and black tea (teh-o). "The budget meal and drink prices will be benchmarked against economically priced food-and-beverage offerings in nearby neighbourhood coffee shops," Ms Sim said at the time. There are a total of 776 coffee shops in Singapore, of which 374 are under HDB and 402 are privately owned. On the new BudgetMealGoWhere website, about 40 coffee shops are listed, with more being progressively added. “HDB will work with GovTech to continually improve the website’s functionality and listing to make it more useful for Singaporeans, and members of the public can also provide feedback on the budget meals,” the two agencies said. To help customers in identifying budget meals more easily, participating stalls will display the budget meal decal stickers on their food display signage, indicating the budget meals on offer. HDB has completed 37 new coffee shops in the last five years as part of efforts to ensure that residents have access to affordable cooked food, the two agencies added. "Another 34 coffee shops are slated for completion in the next five years, to meet the needs of residents." WHAT PATRONS, FOOD SELLERS SAY Commenting on the new initiative, customers and food stall owners who spoke to TODAY generally welcomed it and suggested how it can be improved. TODAY visited three coffee shops, all of which were among the 40 participating coffee shops listed on the website. Most patrons could see themselves using the site, but some mentioned how it might present problems for older users. Madam Sissi Lin, a scientist who did not want to reveal her age, said: “I think it’s quite comprehensive. I’m just concerned because I believe there will be some older people who might want to use it. Maybe the font size of the text can be bigger (for those who find it hard to reading small print).” One suggested that photographs can accompany the meals being listed. Mr Jason Lim, a 22-year-old engineer, said: “It would be nice if there are pictures of the food or reviews. Maybe it’s cheap but the portion is small. If there are pictures or reviews, people will know.” Madam Noradila Affandi, 37, who works in the digital security field, suggested having pictures of the coffee shops for people to recognise them easily. Civil servant Benjamin Tan, 31, said: “They show some coffee shops that are way too far. There are a few coffee shops in Clementi but they are probably not listed yet." Stall owners generally believed that the new website will help to bring in more customers. Mr Kelvin Lee, 26, who runs an economical rice stall at a coffee shop in Bukit Batok, said that he had seen about 30 more customers than usual who have bought the budget meal, which is a rice with meat and two kinds of vegetables at S$3. The BudgetMealGoWhere website is at https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/budgetmeal/. https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/budgetmeal/ https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/new-budgetmealgowhere-portal-help-residents-find-cheaper-meals-hdb-coffee-shops-2175151 only 40 coffee shops are on BudgetMealGoWhere at present. hopefully more will come on for this initiative to gain traction and awareness.

‘We couldn’t wait for help’: Parents who created jobs for their special needs children SINGAPORE - When Mr Henry Teong set up 168 Neopolitan Style Pizza at Taman Jurong Food Centre with his wife Mylene in February, their goal was not to rake in huge profits. Instead, they wanted to create a future job for their 16-year-old son Jonas, who has autism. Today, Jonas helps out with food tasting at the stall. Mr Teong, 55, holds a day job selling chemical raw materials under his own firm. He told The Straits Times: “This stall was opened in the hope that we lead by example to help children with special needs. We hope that Jonas will have a future as he grows up and becomes more capable.” Over the years, a number of parents have set up businesses for their special needs children, even though they have no prior experience in the chosen sector. At the same time, they hope to extend employment opportunities to others in the special needs community. This is because people with disabilities (PWDs), who leave the safe confines of special education schools when they turn 18, have limited options such as sheltered workshops and day activity centres, or are even kept at home. This situation – which can be isolating for them and their caregivers – is described as the “post-18 cliff”. One such caregiver is Madam Faraliza Zainal, who operated a class for special needs students out of a small storeroom in Sultan Mosque in 2011. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine it would become an education hub with more than 360 students today. The former regional training manager had only wanted to let her son Mohd Ashraf Mohd Ali have an easier time accessing religious lessons, after he was labelled “gila” (“crazy” in Malay) by some of his madrasah, or religious school, classmates. Now 23, he has autism and tuberous sclerosis, which triggers epilepsy attacks. My Inspiring Journey Hub, or “MIJ Hub”, offers an academic curriculum, and vocational and daily living skills training for students with learning differences who are aged two to 30 years. It has three outlets in Singapore, and a new one in Kuala Lumpur. It even branched out into the food and beverage and retail sectors through Ashraf’s Cafe and INSPO – platforms that were created as a training ground for its graduates to enhance their vocational skills through paid employment. It also runs a food stall at Methodist Girls’ School. Madam Faraliza, 52, said: ”My students have moderate-to-high special needs and cannot get any job from open employment after they leave their special education school. Rather than wait for someone to knock on our door, we have to keep coming up with projects and opportunities to engage them.” One project is The Takeout Campaign, where Ashraf, his peers and a team of volunteers prepare and deliver meals every weekend to 36 low-income families with special needs children during Ramadan. As for Mr Khong Yoon Kay and Mrs Jeanne Seah-Khong, both 67, they set up Joan Bowen Cafe more than a decade ago so that their daughter Joan, now 33, could be socially engaged. They do not think that Joan, who has intellectual disabilities, can eventually take over the business. Said Mr Khong: “Food and beverage (F&B) trends and customers’ preferences keep evolving. A special needs person won’t be able to follow and adapt to the changes quickly.” It can also be hard to sustain the business or recruit more PWDs, as they need more supervision, he added. “There is already a shortage of manpower in the F&B sector, not to mention those who would have the heart to guide them.” The cafe is now staffed by the couple, Joan, and a special needs chef. In the early years, they hired more than 20 staff with special needs. Mrs Seah-Khong said: ”The challenge also comes from some parents who dictate what they want their special needs children to do when they work with us, or how much they should earn.” Statistics show that among residents with disabilities aged between 15 and 64, an average of 31.4 per cent were employed in 2021 and 2022. Singapore aims to have 40 per cent of working-age PWDs employed by 2030. Under the Enabling Masterplan 2030, there will be more community support services, as well as training and employment opportunities nearer to where PWDs live. The Enabling Services Hub will be launched in Tampines West Community Club by mid-2023, offering social inclusion activities and continual education for PWDs, as well as drop-in respite care to support caregivers. The first Enabling Business Hub will also be launched in Jurong West later in 2023 to provide job support for PWDs. The Enabling Academy by SG Enable is developing the Enabling Skills Framework to help PWDs chart their lifelong learning journey, and will recommend skills and courses to enhance their opportunities for participation in social and community life, as well as in employment. It will also ensure more accessible training programmes to upskill PWDs. The academy offers the Temasek Trust-CDC Lifelong Learning Enabling Fund, and administers scholarships by Google, Meta and VMware. It also seeks to broaden partnerships with continuing education and training centres and institutes of higher learning, among others. Crunchy Teeth, a bakery founded in 2019 by four mothers of children with autism, also hopes to collaborate with tertiary education institutions to explore methods such as virtual reality solutions to ease autistic individuals into the real working environment. Besides F&B, it hopes to train its interns, who are autistic adults aged 18 years and above, in areas such as horticulture and packing. Co-founder Tan Yen Peng, 46, said: “With extra patience and proper coaching, our autistic community does have the ability to fulfil its job responsibilities and produce quality work. “By having more open channels to speak up for our silent autistic community, we can open up the minds of potential employers, and, in turn, increase the chances of gaining employment opportunities for our autistic workforce.” https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/we-couldn-t-wait-for-help-parents-who-created-jobs-for-their-special-needs-children heartwarming. support

This blanket ban on cats should be repealed. 😀 If dogs are allowed to be kept in HDBs, then the same should be allowed for cats. Homeowners should be allowed to keep cats, provided they are microchipped, vaccinated and registered with AVA, the same standards held for dogs. Cats should be kept indoors and not allowed to free roam for their own safety. Cat owners who allow their cats to free-roam will face the possibility of getting their cats rehomed if found outdoors or causing disturbances to other HDB dwellers such as defecating and urinating in public areas. Punish the irresponsible cat owners, not the animals. The same can be said for dog owners who don't pick up their dogs poop. Shedding fur. They've obviously not seen the amount of fur shed by dogs. 😅 ANYWAYS, SURVEY TIME. HELP OUR CATS! The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks) is seeking feedback from the public on our proposed strategies for the management of pet and community cats in Singapore to form a framework that aims to safeguard public health, and better protect the health and welfare of Singapore’s pet and community cats. The proposed cat management framework comprises three strategies that we are seeking views on: (i) Including pet cats in the licensing and microchipping scheme; (ii) Expanding the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) Programme for free-roaming dogs to community cats; and (iii) Promoting responsible community cat caregiving, adoption of cats, and responsible cat ownership through engagement and outreach. Your feedback will help us refine the proposed cat management framework. Click the link below to participate in our online survey, or scan the QR code. The consultation is open from 3 September to 2 November 2022. English: https://go.gov.sg/catsgEng For the surveys in our other national languages, click on this link: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs/pets/owning-a-pet/public-consultation-(cats)/public-consultation-on-managing-pet-and-community-cats

If this is not allowed, Mod or admin just delete or close this thread. I am just curious, how many online discussion forums are there left in sg? I know there are Hardware zone (which could be the most happening in sg), is clubsnap still alive? flowerpot? blowingwind forum (for the LBGT) i know sgforum is dead? How many active and alive ones are left? Are online discussion forum dying thingy?

hi all, ask more. learn more. know faster. chanced on this website a few weeks ago and it is very useful. My own kids find it useful. Students from around the word come tog to share knowledge and solve problems. Students bring their own special skills to share and collaborate to learn together. Good app for your growing kids and teenagers. Do check it out. https://brainly.co/

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mod: deleted

SAF Volunteer Corps to open applications tomorrow Only Permanent Residents (PR) and Singaporeans who are not liable for National Service are eligible to join the SAFVC as volunteers. This includes women, first generation PRs and new citizens. They are also required to between 18 to 45 years of age. http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/saf-volunteer-corps-open-applications-tomorrow SINGAPORE – Applications for the new SAF Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) will open tomorrow, announced the Singapore Armed Forces today (Oct 12). Prospective volunteers can apply via the SAFVC website or through hard copy forms at the Central Manpower Base. The first batch of trainees will then undergo three to four weeks of training session starting next March. New volunteers are given options to take the training continuously on weekdays or in modular form over a series of weekends. Upon completing the training, volunteers will be deployed to active units to serve alongside national servicemen. They will also be liable to call-ups and deployments of around seven days of service annually. Speaking to reporters at Maju Camp, where the unit is headquartered, SAFVC commander Colonel (COL) Mike Tan stressed that volunteering is an important commitment, even as efforts has been made allow the broader community to contribute to defence. “The moment you put on your uniform, and you proclaim that you are ready to be deployed, and you are deployed indeed, we will expect you to uphold our ethos and our military professionalism,” said COL Tan. The SAF plans to recruit 100 to 150 volunteers over a year through three recruitment drives. Volunteer trainees for the first intake in March will be trained on weekdays and be required to stay-in inside camps. The second intake, which will commerce after the first intake, will train volunteers on weekends. For the third intake, its nature will depend on demand. The training consists at least two phases. The first, a two-week training programme, enables volunteers to develop a basic understanding of defence. Trainees then progress to a one-week qualification training where volunteers will be prepared for their specific future roles. Lastly, for volunteers slated for more demanding roles, such as the auxiliary security trooper, they will undergo one more week of advanced training, making it a total of four weeks. A variety of roles in the land, sea and air forces, ranging from combat to non-combat, are available for volunteers. The auxiliary security trooper, for example, will be armed with rifles and accompany SAF soldiers protecting key installations such as Changi Airport. Also available are specialist roles such as engineers, legal specialist staff, medical trainers, infomedia staff and defence psychologists. Volunteers could be deployed to sea as naval operations officers on Landing Ship Tanks. Only Permanent Residents (PR) and Singaporeans who are not liable for National Service are eligible to join the SAFVC as volunteers. This includes women, first generation PRs and new citizens. They are also required to between 18 to 45 years of age. Applicants will have to fulfil pre-requisites for the role applied, as well as go through an interview and medical screening. Successful applicants will receive a letter of enlistment, a SAF card and will be required to take an Oath of Allegiance.

I will not get angry on the road today. Join in the pledge for more better motoring on our roads.

Seems like the online community is always bashing it, even if it is not wrong. FYI i am an opposition supporter but dun believe in bashing for the sake of bashing.

Came across this and wanted to share with everybody especially if they have folks at home who previously didn't qualify due to the age limit. It has been lowered from 65 to 40. For more info, please click on link. http://www.chas.sg/page_patients.aspx?id=320#chas About CHAS What is the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)? The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), formerly known as the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS), is one of the Ministry of Health (MOH)

A mind boggling article from a resident. Our beloved Yam-eh also got dragged in... From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_722690.html Undoing community bonding Published on Oct 13, 2011 LAST Saturday, a friend invited me to an event organised by the People's Association (PA) at Cheng San Community Club. The ticket cost $12 per person, and a high-tea buffet was included. In attendance were Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Ang Hin Kee and PA chief executive director Yam Ah Mee. While I appreciate the efforts of the PA and community clubs in organising such community-bonding events, it left me with reservations. I was flabbergasted to discover that the organising committee, judges, sponsors and other VIPs enjoyed their high-tea in a closed air-conditioned room while the rest of the guests had theirs outside under a tent. Why was there a 'divide' for an occasion aimed at community bonding? On the same day, across the road from the PA event, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was officiating at an event marking the completion of an upgrading programme. According to press reports, he emphasised that the Government was determined to improve citizens' lives, and this included community bonding. What happened was unfortunate because the grassroots leaders who organised the community-bonding event were undoing what the Government is trying to achieve. Lum Yan Meng

Man stabs ex-colleague over "stupid" remark http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1147128/1/.html A former kitchen assistant has been ordered by a district court to perform 200 hours of community service for stabbing an ex-colleague at a Resorts World Sentosa eatery on February 11. Wong Phee Hon, 58, stabbed Mr Vong Wah Lee, 27, in the stomach in the kitchen of Ho Yeh Cafe after the younger man had accused him of being "stupid". Wong was opening a tin of kaya when Mr Vong, a cook, shouted at him, telling him that he should use another type of can opener instead. Insulted by this sudden provocation, a furious Wong picked up a knife, walked over to Mr Vong and stabbed him. Wong was detained by a security officer while Mr Vong was sent to the Singapore General Hospital for treatment. Mr Vong had to undergo surgery with injuries to his intestines and was discharged five days later. Wong has to complete performing all 200 hours of community service within a year. He could have been jailed up to three months, fined a maximum of S$2,500 or both ============================================================ Seems like a light punishment....just community service?....no mention of special factors (medical, psychiatric, age, financial, etc).... taking a knife to stab someone over a derogatory remark is a serious action....can u imagine if everyone does tat? The hospitals will be congested like hell!

So our 2-star gona donate his pay to society? [thumbsup] From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1130186/1/.html SINGAPORE: Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, newly-elected MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, has said he wants to engage and give back to the community. He will be sworn in on Saturday as the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports as well as Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts. Maj-Gen (NS) Chan said he received bursaries from the government and charitable organisations while in primary school. His new portfolio is a way for him to give back to the system, he said. Speaking to Channel NewsAsia after his usual morning walk in Commonwealth on Friday, he said he expects Singapore's low fertility rate and social mobility issues to continue to be important for MCYS and where it will need to work with other ministries. Maj-Gen (NS) Chan said his focus now is to listen to all stakeholders before implementing policies. ".....listen carefully to what people have to say, listen to what people feel are the challenges, then together with the stakeholders, we can develop a good plan to bring Singapore forward and help people that really need help," he said. Maj-Gen (NS) Chan added that his experience in the army will come in handy, especially when engaging the youth. "The unique thing about the Singapore army is that, being a conscript army, we take in people from all walks of life. So the kind of challenges that young people face from all walks of life will be reflected in the army. The army is, in a sense, a microcosm of the kind of challenges in society," he said. Maj-Gen (NS) Chan said that today's youth yearn for a different way of engagement. Using an analogy, he said it is like their preference for pizza joints that allow people to make their own pizzas - from making the dough to adding the ingredients to cooking it - as opposed to going for fixed choices from a menu in restaurants. ".....there's a sense of participation, never mind the taste....You might argue that the taste is better or not so good compared to the original menu that the owner has given you in the original choice," he said. "But (in) the process of partaking in policy-making, the process of having discussed the issues, you find that ownership. So I think this is the power of the young people nowadays, and we should tap on this energy to really bring them forward." - CNA/ir

Last time I know one can find a study room in almost all community centre. Anyone noticed that nowadays this is practically non-existent. No wonder fast food and library always packed with students. I wonder how we can get the government to consider getting CC to put one in? Last I checked, alot of CCs said that the reasons for closing it was "low membership = low revenue but high maintenance" Let's faced it, even NUS fishtank is seasonal so what can CC expect regarding study room membership? Which leads me to wonder about the purposes of CC .

Hi all, I wrote the following in another thread but thought this could be a discussion topic on its own: When I 1st joined MCF in 2003, I often came across discussions on Singaporean having herd mentality in buying Japanese cars. 5 years has passed, still we're seeing discussion about herd mentality in Japanese car buying behaviour. The way I look at it, the herd mentality is here to stay. By the way, Singapore is not unqiue, other than the main European market, jap cars probably still lead the pack at least in Asia. So this is just not about Singaporean mentality but a market trend. People have been saying conti car prices have dropped, Korean cars quality has improved and China cars are fast catching up but Japanese cars are still leading the pack. What would it takes to overturn the herd mentality and do you think this will change another 5 years down the road? Regards,

Hi, is there a chevrolet club/ forum around where we can seek advices?