Clampdown on phone usage while driving

By Yahoo! Singapore

By Yahoo! Singapore | Yahoo Newsroom – 

If you so much as hold your phone while driving, you could soon be breaking the law.

Proposed changes to the Road Traffic Act tabled on Monday during Parliament would make holding a mobile device while driving or using any of its functions — including not just talking and texting but also surfing, downloading content or checking social media sites — an offence punishable by law.

These new rules would apply to all mobile devices, including tablets. However, drivers will be permitted to use their mobile devices if they are mounted on a holder or cradle.

Offenders can be slapped with a fine of up to $1,000 and/or a jail term of up to six months. These new amendments to the Act were proposed in light of an increase in phone-and-drive offenses.

Last year, phone-and-drive offenses were up 21.6 per cent from 2,938 to 3,572, said the Traffic Police.  

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/clampdown-on-phone-usage-while-driving-020819218.html

Touching commercials celebrate local heroes who make Singapore home

By Alycia Lim | Yahoo Newsroom – 

They are the food vendors who define our childhood.
The vegetable stall owner who knows every customer by name.
And the barber who's pretty much the only guy allowed to touch your father's head of hair.
 
These are among 12 homegrown heroes being celebrated for local telco StarHub's National Day campaign this year.
 
The stars of the heartlands — like malay barber Hj Osnam, Victor of Chia's Vegetable Supply, and Kok Liang of Lee Yit Huat Trading — will be featured in 15–second advertisements, which will be aired over 49 StarHub TV channels from 2-31 August.

This initiative by StarHub aims to celebrate those who make Singapore home for all of us — StarHub says it wishes to give back to the community and empower homegrown businesses.
 
"Home-grown businesses are special because only they can deliver a local flavour that truly connects with Singaporeans," says StarHub's chief marketing officer, Jeannie Ong.
"They are a reflection of our culture and represent our heritage handed down with pride through the generations."

When asked how much this initiative costs, a StarHub representative replied, "It is a sum StarHub regards as well spent to help fellow homegrown businesses."
 
Of course, the younger generation of Singaporeans are not left out. From Books Actually, which holds local Singaporean book collections, to Depression, a local fashion start-up, the campaign aims to create awareness of the country's local brands. As a representative from Depression states, "Singapore culture is so dynamic and unique. But we've never really been known for our fashion or creativity. We hope that through our commercial, people will see that our fashion scene is well and truly alive."
 
Check out some of the commercials below:

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/celebrating-local-heroes-103559999.html

MOM ‘strengthens’ system to better detect underpayment of CPF contributions by employers: Tan Chuan-Jin

By Nurul Azliah Aripin | Yahoo Newsroom – 

Manpower minister Tan Chuan-Jin announced in parliament on Tuesday that the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) has "strengthened" its system and now requires employers to declare which of its employees have gone for National Service. CPFB will also remind employers to make CPF contributions.
 
Tan announced this in response to Dr Chia Shi-Lu's query on whether the system can be improved. The Auditor-General's (AGO) report for financial 2013 to 2014 had highlighted the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) failure to detect underpayment of CPF contributions.
 
According to the report, which was released on 17 July, the AGO discovered MOM's "inadequate" system of checks to detect wrong payment of CPF contributions by employers for employees performing NS.
 
The AGO found no evidence of "independent verification" to ensure completeness and accuracy of employee wage records.
 
The report also said that MOM has "completed" investigations into the wrong payments and found 24 instances of underpayment and four instances of non-payments.
 
The ministry has also "fully recovered" the wrong payments from employers.

System migration 'errors' at MOH
 
Separately, "errors" stemmed from administration migration of IT system were to blame for the Health Ministry's (MOH) lapse in continuing to pay $64,000 in financial assistance to 99 people after their deaths, said health minister Gan Kim Yong in parliament on Tuesday.
 
The IT system migration conducted by an external vendor had resulted in the demise list not being updated, which led to the continued payment under the Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE).
 
The minister assured that the issue has been "rectified" and that the administration has been required to "make improvements" to the system, which now "triggers alerts for errors".
 
The ministry has also "sought full reimbursements" of the amounts that have been wrongly paid.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/mom--strengthens--system-to-better-detect-underpayment-of-cpf-contributions-by-employers--tan-chuan-jin-093656605.html

Sunny Bookshop to close down in August 2014

Yahoo Newsroom – 

Local bookstore and institution Sunny Bookshop will close its shutters for the last time on 20 August, reported media outlets.

According to The Straits Times, it's current owner, Melissa Low, has decided to shut down the business because of rising overheads, changes in reading habits and the lack of people interested in taking over the shop.

Sunny Bookshop, which specialises in renting out second-hand books, was previously located at Far East Plaza but shifted to Plaza Singapura in 2010 after 25 years.

Beloved among a generation of Singaporean readers for their down-to-earth, friendly service and reasonable prices, Sunny Bookshop faced a declining customer base with the advent of mega-bookstores like Borders and Kinokuniya.

While Singaporeans feel nostalgic at the closure of Sunny Bookshop, most acknowledge that it was just a matter of time.

Photographer Valence Sim, who is in his 30s, was a loyal customer at both their Far East Plaza and also Plaza Singapura locations.

"I am a fan, I used to patronize (British spelling) them when I was in secondary school to buy second-hand books, especially Jeffrey Archer novels," he said.

"I feel like another piece of my "growing up" is gone," said bank analyst Lynn Teo, 34, who would trawl the dusty shelves of Sunny Bookshop as a teenager.

"I remember taking hours to decide which romance novels I wanted to rent and counting if I had enough money to take out more than one book at a time. I will definitely miss it."

"I think that it is unavoidable that Sunny Bookshop [will] close down, firstly with large bookstores like Page One and Borders not even able to keep afloat here and also with rising rents and the popularity of e-books," said marketing manager Julia Yang, 34, who used to patronise the store when she was a student.

Calls to their Plaza Singapura shop were not answered.

Were you a fan of Sunny Bookshop? What memories do you have of the store and how do you feel about its closure?

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/sunny-bookshop-to-close-down-this-month-132121888.html

Monday #sgroundup: City Harvest church leader John Lam in spotlight for S$1.2 million ‘error’

By Nurul Azliah Aripin | Yahoo Newsroom – 

Here are today's top trending stories in case you missed them.

City Harvest church leader John Lam in spotlight for S$1.2 million 'error'
 Former City Harvest treasurer John Lam arrived at court for trial.
Former City Harvest treasurer and board member John Lam Leng Hung, on Monday, battled prosecution claims that he had "mistakenly" pumped S$1.2 million into a church-building fund, which was was later withdrawn and channeled into funds to develop the musical career of co-founder Pastor Kong Hee's wife, Sun Ho.
 
During court proceedings, prosecutor Mavis Chionh produced a 2002 email suggesting that Lam's "error" was part of a deliberate plan to muddy the paperwork trail before the eventual channeling of funds into the Crossover Project.
 
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/city-harvest-church-leader-john-lam-in-spotlight-for-s-1-2-million--error--100459301.html

Singapore Airlines jet minutes away when MH17 shot down
 The left wing of a Singapore Airlines passenger plane touches an aerobridge at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport …
A Singapore Airlines (SIA) plane was just minutes away when Flight MH17 was blown out of the sky in eastern Ukraine, Singapore's government confirmed Monday.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew told parliament that Flight SQ351, which was headed to Singapore from Copenhagen, was just 90km (56 miles) from the Malaysian plane -- a distance covered within minutes by passenger jets.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-airlines-jet-minutes-away-103550055.html
 
Electronics giant Panasonic wants Singaporeans to eat its veg
 Panasonic's indoor vegetable farm in Singapore
Japan's Panasonic Corp, best known for its television sets and home theater systems, wants to feed Singaporeans its radishes and lettuce.

A unit of the electronics conglomerate last week started selling to a chain of Japanese restaurants in Singapore fresh produce grown in what it says is the first licensed indoor vegetable farm in the island state.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/electronics-giant-panasonic-wants-singaporeans-eat-veg-211353351--finance.html
 
Singapore's Great Sale wasn't great: Bloomberg
 If you are a shopaholic in Singapore, you would definitely know that we are in the midst of the Great Singapore …
Singapore's Chinese tourists are getting more disappointed with the country, with retail sales continuing to dwindle as they discover that Hong Kong has better offerings after all.

A report by Bloomberg reveals that Singapore has three reasons for the high mark-up: a strengthening exchange rate, rising labor costs and a sales tax. These are all things that tourists do not encounter in nearby Hong Kong.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-great-sale-wasn-t-032100684.html
 
Police initiate investigation on Johor checkpoint chaos, 100 summons issued
 Kenaikan tol 480% di CIQ Johor burukkan nama Najib, kata DAP
Malaysia police have initiated investigations against those responsible for blocking traffic at Johor's Sultan Iskandar Building's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex on August 1, the day the toll hike launched.

Deputy police chief II Mohd Nadzir Ghulam Kadir said police issued more than 100 summons for obstructing traffic.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/police-initiate-investigation-ciq-chaos-062612733.html
 

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/monday--sgroundup--city-harvest-church-leader-john-lam-in-spotlight-for-s-1-2-million--error-114705053.html

City Harvest church leader John Lam in spotlight for S$1.2 million ‘error’

By Nurul Azliah Aripin | Yahoo Newsroom – 

Former City Harvest treasurer and board member, John Lam Leng Hung on Monday, battled prosecution claims that he had "mistakenly" pumped S$1.2 million into a church-building fund, which was was later withdrawn and channeled into funds to develop the musical career of co-founder Pastor Kong Hee's wife, Sun Ho.
 
Clad in shirt and blazer, Lam, 46, was the first of six leaders to take the stand in the fifth tranche of the mega church's trial, which started on Monday. The leaders, including church founder Kong Hee and former finance manager Serina Wee, are accused of misappropriating more than $50 million worth of church funds to finance Sun Ho's career as part of a "Crossover Project" to evangelise youths.
 
During court proceedings, prosecutor Mavis Chionh produced a 2002 email suggesting that Lam's "error" was part of a deliberate plan to muddy the paperwork trail before the eventual channeling of funds into the Crossover Project.
 
In the email between Lam and another accused church leader, Chew said, "We will need to do more withdrawals of BF [building fund] (this time, probably Wahju and myself), and put into Xtron, and Pst Kong will put in some personal cash also..."
 
This "merry go round" funds as claimed by Lam in another email was initially excluded in meeting minutes submitted to auditors because he was "scared" that the public would "object" the withdrawing from the building fund. It was later added into the minutes signed by Lam. In response to this, prosecutors suggested that Lam had "falsified" the document.

The $1.2 million was donated by church member, Wahju Hanafi, the owner of company Attributes Pte Ltd, who is accused of helping the leaders in the misappropriation of funds.
 
Lam had initially explained that he had made an "error" when depositing $1.2 million worth of donations, which was originally intended for Sun Ho's career from the start.

Lam allowed rubber stamping of his signatures
 
Lam also admitted to allowing stamps to be made of his signature for invoices under Xtron as he would not be "the best person" to verify some of them.
 
He admitted to this after prosecutor Chionh showed an email from the church's human resource and administration manager Wong Foong Ming requesting to make signature stamps.
 
Lam added that Wee was in charge of processing those invoices and had trusted her verification.
 
The trial continues on Tuesday.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/city-harvest-church-leader-john-lam-in-spotlight-for-s-1-2-million--error--100459301.html

Friday #sgroundup: Pro-Singaporean hiring rules kick in after backlash

By Nurul Azliah Aripin | What's buzzing? – 

Here are today's top trending stories in case you missed them.
 
New pro-Singaporean labour laws kick in after backlash
 Office workers pictured during their lunch breaks at Raffles financial district in Singapore on October 30, 20 …
New hiring rules favouring Singaporeans kicked in Friday as part of measures aimed at addressing citizens' complaints about foreigners stealing jobs from them.

Singapore-based companies needing professional workers now have to advertise on an online "Jobs Bank" for at least 14 days before they can seek an employment pass for a foreigner.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/pro-singaporean-hiring-rules-kick-backlash-072459595--finance.html

Thousands of workers forced to walk after Johor-Singapore Causeway toll hikes kick in
 File photo taken in May 2009 shows Malaysia's southern state of Johor, which is linked by a causeway to the …
The new toll rates at Johor's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) started on Friday. The rates are RM9.70 (SGD$3.80) and RM6.80 (SGD$2.60) for in-bound and out-bound cars respectively.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/toll-rates-johor-ciq-today-164639748.html

Factory bus drivers refused to drive into the complex in protest against the toll hike, and demanded authorities to address the matter immediately.

The incident caused thousands of people working in Singapore to cross the Causeway by foot.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/bus-drivers-protest-against-toll-022411397.html
 
Gas blast in Taiwan kills 25, injures 267, topples buildings
 The five explosions tore up the streets leaving a scene of carnage
A series of explosions caused by a gas leak killed 25 people and injured 267 in Taiwan's second city on Friday, sending flames shooting 15 storeys into the air, setting ablaze entire blocks and reducing small shops to rubble.
 
Rescue authorities said police and soldiers had been drafted in to help firefighters after the midnight explosion and blaze gutted a district in the port city of Kaohsiung packed with shops and apartment buildings.
 
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/taiwan-gas-blast-kills-15-injures-243-local-010245250.html
 
International probe to begin at MH17 crash site in Ukraine
 Plus de 60 experts sont à pied d'oeuvre dans l'est de l'Ukraine sur le site où s'est écrasé le …
International experts will attempt Friday to begin a stalled investigation at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 as Ukrainian forces threaten to resume their offensive against pro-Russian rebels after a one-day halt.
 
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-military-announces-day-long-halt-offensive-east-081207986.html
 
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak also said that he will announce a national mourning day for the tragedy once the remains arrive in the country.
 
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/malaysia-hold-national-mourning-day-mh17-victims-says-013846139.html
 
Israel, Palestinian militant groups begin 3-day Gaza truce
 Palestinians walks across the rubble of destroyed buildings and homes in the Al-Salam neighbourhood of Jabalia, …
A three-day ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip went into effect on Friday, with negotiators due to travel to Cairo to discuss a longer-term solution.
 
The 72-hour break announced in a joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the most ambitious attempt so far to end more than three weeks of fighting, and followed mounting international alarm over a rising Palestinian civilian death toll.
 
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/israel-accepts-proposal-72-hour-gaza-ceasefire-official-001936417.html

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what-is-buzzing/friday--sgroundup--pro-singaporean-hiring-rules-kick-in-after-backlash-105412021.html