Search the Community

From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Online...ory_769134.html Raise the bar on scholarships to foreign students Published on Feb 22, 2012 SENIOR Parliamentary Secretary for Education Sim Ann told Parliament that 900 full scholarships are awarded each year to students from non-Asean countries to study for a degree here ('Foreign scholars closely tracked'; last Saturday). This is in addition to 170 similar scholarships for Asean students yearly. Although this pool of foreign talent will augment the local pool, the Government must show that Singaporeans come first by ensuring there are more scholarships for Singaporeans than foreigners. The foreign recipients must also deserve the awards. Ms Sim stated that 45 per cent of foreign scholarship holders complete their undergraduate studies with a second-upper class honours or better. However, as these recipients are selected from among the best from their home countries with bigger populations, the percentage ought to be higher. The millions of dollars that taxpayers underwrite for these scholarships will be well spent if more than half of the scholarship holders achieve at least second-upper class honours. Edwin Lim ****** And another: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_769211.html Scholarships Published on Feb 22, 2012

http://www.lativ.com.tw/ this online clothing business is dishing out 40 (forty) months of year end bonuses for its management staff !! (almost NT 2mil per person) so how much are you getting ?

A&E subsidies for foreigners are here to stay: Gan Kim Yong by Ng Jing Yng 04:45 AM Nov 22, 2011SINGAPORE - Subsidies for foreigners needing emergency care are here to stay, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament yesterday. He also provided statistics to show that this contributed minimally to the Government's healthcare spending. He was responding to Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng (Tampines Group Representation Constituency), who had asked if the Government would remove subsidies for foreigners receiving Accident and Emergency (A&E) care or impose means testing - where the patient's ability to pay determines the size of the bill. This is because foreigners here would probably be covered by workplace insurance or travel insurance, he said. Currently, a 50-per-cent subsidy is given to all A&E patients regardless of their nationality. Mr Gan said that, over the last five years, foreigners made up 18 per cent of the yearly patient load at A&E departments - amounting to government subsidies of S$14 million every year. This is less than 1 per cent of the Health Ministry's total spending on subsidised patient services at public hospitals, which amounted to S$2.2 billion. "For A&E services, because they affect life and death, we want to make sure administrative processes in the A&E departments are kept as simple as possible," he said. He pointed out that not all foreigners here have workplace insurance as they are on long-term visit passes. And as A&E departments provide critical attention for a short period of time, getting hospital staff to verify the patient's nationality or doing means testing will only add to their administrative burden, he said. "We still like to keep our A&E departments streamlined (and) focus on treating the patients, ensuring that everyone who comes to A&E receives the emergency treatment that they need," added Mr Gan. As for Singaporeans who need further help even after the 50-per-cent subsidy, Mr Gan cited the existing Medifund scheme and said the Government would continue to look at ways to help the needy.

Taken from http://arabnews.com/world/article523619.ece By BEN BLANCHARD | REUTERS Published: Oct 24, 2011 16:42 Updated: Oct 24, 2011 16:42 BEIJING: A new tax on foreign workers in China mandating they pay Chinese social security contributions is fair and in line with global norms, state media said on Monday, brushing off concerns in the business community it will raise their costs. Citing an unidentified official at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Xinhua news agency said the provisional rules on these payments which had already gone into effect would not be too onerous.

1/3 of private properties bought by foreigners, and out of this, 1/3 is PRC seems harmless on the paper.. but greedy govt and private developers will push for more lands to be freed up to build more condos, so as to earn huge by selling them to the large demands from the foreign buyers until a certain point that our heritage is compromised think of Old School and Bukit Brown (they already said sooner or later it will be cleared for high end residences) in the end, foreigners happy that they have assets in a socially safe and disaster-free country private developers happy that they earn much from the sales SLA and URA happy of the large profits from the lands sold govt happy as revenue surges who are the unhappy ones?

Would like to share a link with all. Limpeh is Foreign Talent. Kenapa-Singapura? (Why-Singapore?) Rantings of an ex-Singaporean now working in Singapore. http://limpehft.blogspot.com/2011/11/kenap...-singapore.html

STOMP Foreign women's hard-sell tactics: Mum charged $580 for eyebrow work

3 vs 1 Police came, police interview, police say go find lawyer. Case closed? http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews...016-305338.html

16-year-old nabbed over Geylang stabbing Published on Aug 22, 2011 Share 0 inShare. Purchase this article for republication Buy SPH photos Policemen arresting the 16-year-old for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means yesterday morning. He allegedly stabbed the 25-year-old man in his back during a violent scuffle in the back alleyways around Lorong 30 and Lorong 32 Geylang. -- PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO A HEATED argument which led to a violent scuffle between two males in Geylang yesterday left one of them injured. The Straits Times understands that the pair, aged 25 and 16, got into a fight at about 3.30am in the back alleyways around Lorong 30 and Lorong 32 Geylang. The police said the youngster was subsequently arrested at the scene for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means. Evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that the suspect, who is believed to be Vietnamese, was wielding a knife. He had allegedly stabbed the older man in the left side of his back. The victim, who had collapsed after being stabbed, was taken to Changi General Hospital by ambulance. The suspect remained at the scene to assist in police investigations for more than an hour. Roads were blocked and the police were seen removing evidence from the scene, including the knife that is believed to have been used in the attack. The victim is believed to be in a stable condition, and investigations are ongoing. The latest incident came after 25 people were arrested last week in Geylang for a variety of criminal offences in a multi-agency enforcement operation led by the Bedok Police Division. The individuals, who were rounded up by Aug 14, were suspected drug addicts, gang members, illegal cigarette-peddlers and sellers of illegal sex-enhancement products. Earlier this month, two men were found badly injured in an alley off Lorong 11 Geylang. They were believed to have been in a brawl with other men. One of them later died of head injuries in hospital. KIMBERLY SPYKERMAN

looks like better than nothing. but wonder how strict and how hard they will examine the qualifications and experience. let's wait and see. ----- Higher pay threshold for entry & mid-level foreign execs By S Ramesh | Posted: 16 August 2011 1422 hrs SINGAPORE: The Manpower Ministry (MOM) has announced details of the enhancements to the Employment Pass framework which will take effect from 1 January 2012. The ministry said the demand for Employment Pass has increased rapidly since the economic recovery in 2010, and it's likely to keep growing. It is introducing measures which will tighten the eligibility requirements for those entering the lower and mid-level professional and skilled jobs. The ministry added that the move will also ensure that as the salary of local workers rise, they would not be disadvantaged by Employment Pass holders who are coming in at lower wages. A key change will be to the Q1 pass. The ministry said it is tightening the educational qualifying requirements so that only those from good quality institutions will be eligible. It is also moving away from the single qualifying salary of $2,800. Instead, the applicant will have to earn at least $3,000 and the ministry will also look at his qualification and experience. For P2 pass holders, the qualifying salary will go up from the current $4,000 to $4,500. There will be no change in the qualifying salary for P1 pass holders, which will remain as $8,000. As for existing Employment Pass holders, the ministry will phase in the new requirements over the next 1 to 2 years, depending on when their current passes expire. This is to give businesses time to make necessary adjustments. For example, existing Employment Pass holders whose passes expire before 1 Jan 2012 will receive a one-time renewal of up to 2 years, based on the pre-July 2011 Employment Pass criteria. For those whose passes expire between 1 Jan 2012 and 30 June 2012, they will get a one-time renewal of up to a year, while those whose passes expire on or after 1 July 2012, will be subject to the new Employment Pass criteria. - CNA /ls

Singapore Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story Jul 12, 2011 Jailed, fined for criminal force on station manager By Elena Chong Wang Shu Jun, a China national, was jailed for a day and given the maximum fine of $1,500 over using criminal force on a station manager. -- ST PHOTO: RAJ NADARAJAN A WOMAN who used criminal force on a railway worker at Serangoon MRT station was jailed for a day and given the maximum fine of $1,500 on Tuesday. Wang Shu Jun, 35, had been convicted after a trial of scratching the hands and pulling the cord of station manager Cindy Chua Hui Keng's walkie-talkie at the station at Serangoon Central on Sept 10 2010. The China national was stopped by SMRT staff for not paying the fare of her five-year-old son who was also using a skate scooter within its premises. The parties then tried to resolve the matter. Ms Chua subsequently took out a camera to snap a few pictures of Wang, who then committed the offence. She was also ordered to pay $500 compensation to the victim by District Judge Eugene Teo. The judge said her conduct was wrong from the start, and that her response to the authorities was atrocious and utterly deplorable. 'By her actions, a simple fare payment matter ultimately resulted in injury to an SMRT officer, an emergency activation of several police officers to the scene, and disruption and inconvenience to other members of the public,' he said. The housewife could have been jailed for up to three months for the offence.

Was driving along ECP and saw this Van with this Ad of its company... Don't know whether to laugh, cry, angry or sad. I guess if any SGeans going to their orpid to appry for job they will give you this sign : We don't serve Singaporeans

The Star/Asia News Network Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 By Eric Samuel SINGAPORE - Malaysia went down fighting to Singapore 5-3 in a nail-biting Asian Zone World Cup second round first-leg qualifying match at the Jalan Besar Stadium last night. The tense encounter, played in front of 6,000 fans, also saw both teams reduced to 10 men. It was tough for the gritty Malaysians to match the home team, who meant business when they started with all five naturalised players. The result was evident as all the five goals came from the physically superior imports. The towering Aleksandar Duric scored a brace (8th, 80th) while Qiu Li (22nd), Mustafic Fahrudin (44th) and Shi Jiayi (45th) added a goal each. Safee Sali scored a brace for Malaysia (1st, 70th) while substitute Abdul Hadi Yahaya (69th) added the other goal. There was drama on and off the pitch, too. There was a scuffle in the stands when Singapore trooped off leading 4-1 in the first-half. And four minutes into the breather, Malaysia were reduced to 10 men when skipper Safiq Rahim was sent off for a rash tackle on Harris Harun. Despite the odds stacked against the Malaysians, the never-say-die attitude of the players brought back the cheers to the partisan Malaysian fans. Singapore were also reduced to 10 men when their defender Ismail Yunos was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 54th minute. The Malaysians must be praised for their persistence even when the chips were down. They fought back from three goals down and reduced the score to 3-4 by the 70th minute. But Singapore's 41-year-old striker Duric had the last say of the game with his second goal in the 80th minute. Singapore now enjoy a two-goal cushion for the return leg at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on July 28. National coach Datuk K Rajagopal was disappoined by the team's sloppy defending, which he said was the cause of their defeat. "We had the best ever start when Safee scored after just 26 seconds of the game but after that, the whole defence collapsed and we gave away the goals just like that," said Rajagopal. It certainly was a goal feast for the Lions but the game could have gone Malaysia's way if only they were not so porous at the back. Wily midfielder S Kunalan got down to work immediately from the kick-off and his cross from the left opened up the Singapore defence, leaving Safee with a shot at goal. Singapore goalkeeper Mohd Izwan Mahbud did well to palm away the shot but the Pelita Jaya FC striker made no mistake from the rebound. But it was all Singapore's show after that shock goal. Duric caught the Malaysian defence off-guard when he latched onto Qiu Li's free-kick to easily slot the ball past goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee in the eighth minute. Then, Qiu Li stunned Malaysia when he curled in a free-kick in the 22nd minute. Then, within a two-minute spell, Mustafic and Shi Jiayi punished the Malaysian defence with close-range goals in the 44th and 45th minutes respectively. Malaysia's fightback came in the second half with substitute Abdul Hadi Yahaya picking up a loose ball to score in the 69th minute before Safee added his second a minute later with a clinical finish from outside the box. Singapore: Mohd Izwan Mahbud, Muhd Safuwan Baharudin, Shi Jiayi, Aleksandar Duric, Qiu Li (Shahdan Sulaiman), Hariss Harun, Mustafic Fahrudin, Daniel Bennett, Shahril Ishak, Juma'at Jantan, Ismail Yunos Malaysia: Mohd Sharbinee Allawee, Mohd MUslim Ahmad, Mohd Fadhli Shas, Mahalli Jasuli, Mohd Asraruddin Putra Omar, Amar Rohidan, Safiq Rahim, S. Kunalan, Ismail Faruqi (Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal), Mohd Safee Sali (Izzaq Faris Ramlan), Ahmad Fakri Saarani (Abdul Hadi Yahaya) http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/...724-290670.html Wat can u say more... I can onli shake head at our Sing team...

Yahoo! News rocks http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporesc...-032651925.html By Seah Chiang Nee The current wave of migrant workers from China and India has had an unintended side benefit for Singapore: blurring differences between local Chinese and Malays. The new competition they introduced into the workforce has helped to get these once quarrelling races to put aside old discords and jointly face the common challenge. In the 60s and 70s, ethnic conflicts were a daily story in Singapore generally over who should get a bigger piece of the economic pie. Every issue seemed to revolve around race. The impact of globalisation and the mass inflow of foreigners are helping the Chinese and Malays achieve commonality faster than anything else. It has promoted a common bond

Found this at stomp. http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sg..._kids_ride.html

ormer DPM Tony Tan

Jun 10, 2011 Two arrested for bid to rob Burger King One of the accused also believed to have struck earlier at another outlet By Kimberly Spykerman The Burger King outlet at International Plaza in Anson Road. Two Filipino men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in Wednesday's armed robbery attempt, which was thwarted after a crew member ran out to seek help from other shopkeepers. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN FAST money, not fast food, was on the minds of assailants in two armed robbery attempts at Burger King outlets on Wednesday and in April. Yesterday, police said two Filipino men had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incidents. The duo, acquainted with each other and working here on S-Passes, struck at a branch at International Plaza in Anson Road on Wednesday. One of them is also believed to have been involved in another attempt in April at new underground shopping mall Esplanade Xchange. Both incidents occurred when there were few people around - one outlet was closed for the night and the other had not yet opened for business. Calling the attempts 'bold and audacious', Deputy Commander of Central Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Adrian Quek said armed robberies at fast-food restaurants here are almost unheard of. Most cases the police have dealt with are linked to convenience stores or money changers. In the most recent case, early on Wednesday morning, one of the suspects, a 32-year-old, allegedly walked into the Burger King outlet at International Plaza and held a knife to a crew member's throat. His face covered with a surgical mask and an eye mask, he demanded that the outlet manager hand over all the money in a safe. The other man, a 30-year-old believed to be his accomplice, waited outside the building. The attempt was thwarted after a third crew member ran out to seek help from other shopkeepers. The assailant threw his knife to the ground and fled. He left a trail of clues behind, including a bicycle chain, which he intended to use to lock the doors of the outlet after committing the crime, and two rolls of duct tape. His identity was traced through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. He was arrested at Changi Airport later that night when he was heading to the Philippines. He will be charged with attempting to commit armed robbery, punishable by seven years' jail and no less than 18strokes of the cane. His friend was arrested yesterday around the Marina Bay area. Police believe that the older man is likely to have been involved in another armed-robbery attempt at the Burger King outlet in Esplanade Xchange. In the incident in April, which took place at around 1am, he posed as a maintenance worker to gain access to the store. The only person working then was a 35-year-old assistant manager. He held a knife to her throat and demanded that she empty the safe. After he pocketed $7,000, he gagged her and bound her wrists and ankles with duct tape. She called for help after she managed to free herself. DAC Quek said she had not double-checked the man's identity as it was common for contract workers to show up late at night to do maintenance work in the building. The police are still investigating whether there were others involved in that attempt. A spokesman for convenience store chain 7-Eleven, whose staff have been in the news as victims of armed robbery, said all stores have CCTV cameras, alarms linked to Cisco and checks by the latter's roving patrols. [email protected] Additional reporting by Tham Yuen-C

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/S...ory_672432.html Why these type of news never report before GE? FOREIGN home buyers snapped up 16 per cent of all private homes sold in the first quarter - the highest quarterly percentage since data became available in 1995. Experts say the high foreign proportion in the market is because such buyers have been less affected by the rounds of cooling measures which have muted local interest. The overseas impact has been telling, according to the DTZ Research report that contains the new buying figures. Its analysis of caveats lodged for both new and secondary sales found that foreigners bought 1,028 units in the three months to March 31. That 16 per cent share of the market tops the previous record of 15 per cent - or 784 units - in the fourth quarter of 2007. Foreigners were also active in the last quarter of last year when they bought 1,092 units, accounting for 13 per cent of the market. Demand from permanent residents (PRs) remained stable at 17 per cent in both quarters. DTZ said Chinese buyers - including permanent residents - also set a record, accounting for 24 per cent of purchases made by non-Singaporeans in the quarter. They have overtaken Malaysians for the first time. Foreign buyers 16% + PR buyers 17% = 33% in this first quarter!!! f--k U FOREIGNERS!!!!!! may a thousand tabasco bottles ram up ur penis holes

Actually hor, CSM can take the role also. His corporate credentials and law background would surely give him the necessary skills in socialising, negotiating, strategising, communiations, etc.

While checking out the LTA website, I came upon something which I guess most Singaporean does not know. Would like to hear the views of those who strongly support ERP to control vehicle congestion. http://ask.lta.gov.sg/home/lta/listings.as...y=44850#2288667 Q Can I drive a foreign-registered car on ERP-priced roads? A Yes. You can choose to pay the ERP fee on a per pass basis. This will require you to first rent or install an IU in your vehicle. You will then need to insert a CashCard or your Autopass Card into the IU when you drive past an ERP gantry. Alternatively, if you do not want to install an IU, the fixed ERP fees scheme will apply. All foreign motorists can drive on ERP roads in Singapore without the need to rent or install an IU for their cars. The ERP fee is chargeable at a flat rate of S$5 for each day a foreign-registered car is used on ERP roads during ERP-operation hours. Q Can I drive a foreign-registered car without an IU on ERP-priced roads? A Yes, you can drive on any ERP-priced roads during ERP operational hours without installing an IU in your car. You will be charged an ERP fee of S$5 for each day you drive on ERP-priced roads. This fee is payable with your Autopass card when you depart from the checkpoint. Just remember to have your Autopass card topped up (at 7-Eleven stores, selected petrol stations, top-up booths near the checkpoints and local bank ATMs) with sufficient cash balance to pay for ERP fees, VEP fees and toll charges before you proceed to the checkpoint. LTA's stand on implementing ERP. Fair Charges are based on usage so those who contribute more to the congestion pay more. Those who use the roads less frequently or who travel during non-ERP hours will pay less or not need to pay at all. So there's no limit to the number of times a foreign vehicle (eg. M'sian registered vehicles) can pass through each ERP gantry and just need to pay $5 when they cause equal congestion on the roads. And the question is why $5 and not more when ERP rates are adjusted upwards most of the time. M'sian vehicles are compact vehicles that does not take up road space? VEP should not be tied to this discounted ERP charges when comparing. For people living in Woodlands travelling via CTE during ERP hours both directions and entering the city (and the ERPs within the ERP zones), how much are they paying a day? Why LTA didn't offer S'pore cars with the same $5 per day rate and charge each time we cross the gantry?

Which planet has he been residing in? Yahoo! News PAP not out of touch: Foreign Min. George Yeo Foreign Minister George Yeo has rejected claims the ruling People's Action Party is out of touch as "completely untrue". Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore in a frank and honest one-on-one interview, the 56-year-old Minister said, "I know what I do as an MP and what my colleagues do. We spend a lot of time just working with ordinary people... We can't solve all problems but we do what we can." He added, "So I would say we are more in touch than those who criticise us for being out of touch." Even as the Singapore economy shot out of the blocks from the 2008 financial crisis to a record 15% growth in 2010, concerns about the rising cost of living, competition with foreign workers and housing issues have dominated discussions both online and in coffee shops around Singapore. The year 2010 was also dominated by headlines surrounding the escape of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror leader Mas Selamat and recurring flash floods around several areas of Singapore. Asked about what kind of report card he would give the PAP for its performance over the last few years, Minister Yeo said it was not fair for him to assess he and his own PAP colleagues. "It's hard, I mean here you are putting me in a position of a student and I cannot be writing a report card on myself. But if you take a step back, and compare Singapore to other countries... in every country, what sets their success or failure in the end is politics," he said. But the Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC encouraged voters to look at the big picture ahead of the impending General Election. "If you are to rank countries, Singapore comes right near the top. And people marvel, you have nothing, just a little speck of land, but out of it, just harnessing the ability, the energy of individuals we are able to accomplish so much," he said. During the hour-long interview at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Tanglin, he also addressed those who were frequently critical of the PAP. "Even those who are anti-PAP, who are critical, when they travel they feel so proud of being Singaporeans... When they come home, the moment they get the SIA boarding pass, there's a flutter in their hearts...yes, I'm on my way home." For more on Minister Yeo's interview with Yahoo! Singapore, listen here. In the next part of our interview with the Minister, he talks about social media and the effect it will have on the Election.

hey anyone here got similar experiences? I got a cousin who is Singaporean but went to Australia to study. Went to get driving license in Aussie. However she'll be back here in SG for a month. Can she drive a car in Singapore with Australian driving license? A few friends of mine say can because its in English thus its an International driving license so it can be used here. Anyone knows ?

Last evening at about 7pm when I tried to exit TPE to SLE, a med size lorry cut across my car from the left lane to filter to my lane. It was close. Good thing I slowed down. FOund out the drive was a foreign talented driver. Do foreign workers have valid driving license and how they get those licenses ? Any brothers and sisters here can share ?

Anyone knows what is the mom procedure to apply for maid's home leave to return back to philippines for home visit ? Pls advice, thanks !