GE2025: Important to make clear GST is taken from top and redistributed across population, says Shanmugam

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Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam stated on Thursday ( Apr 24 ) that the goods and services tax system ( GST ) is intended to take “from the top” and redistribute across the population. This should also be made clear by the opposition, which the government should also make clear. &nbsp,

Mr. Shanmugam gave an illustration of a typical family living in a three or four-room apartment that will receive thousands of dollars in support while speaking to reporters at the launch of the People’s Action Party ( PAP ) Nee Soon GRC manifesto. &nbsp,

” And they don’t spend that much in GST,” she continued. The top money earners are largely responsible for paying the GST. The bottom 20 % of it is paid for, he claimed. &nbsp,

” He pays S$ 9 in GST if somebody goes to a restaurant and pays S$ 100. They pay 90 cents in GST if they visit a stall center and make the payment of S$ 10. That S$ 9 is taken by the government and redistributed to those receiving the$ 10 meals, he continued.

” So it is taken from the bottom and redistributed across. And I wish the criticism had the ability to clarify that. I believe it’s important to make that clear rather than just say some things that are perhaps just half true.”

What if people take into account when evaluating the proposals made by the parties contesting Nee Quickly GRC – PAP and Red Dot United ( RDU) were Mr. Shanmugam responding to a problem.

RDU previously announced that it would call for the GST to be reduced to 7 %, which its secretary-general Ravi Philemon claimed may increase the amount of money in the hands of the electorate.

In the group’s declaration, which was released last Saturday, it also suggested starting from the source with policies that prioritize good wages and provide employment security through a” citizens-first” hiring plan. &nbsp,

Another opposition parties have called for deductions and rollbacks in their proposals, including the Workers ‘ Party and the Progress Singapore Party.

Mr. Shanmugam made the same remarks that were originally made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the Ministry of Finance, reiterating the claim that any GST increase would be more than offset by the help provided this season. &nbsp,

He added that it will continue to compensate it over the next five times.

The primary secretary stated that a large number of homeowners won’t experience the effects of the GST because what they pay in the GST is more than what the government is offering.

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After nearly falling prey to a love scam, this tech-savvy Indonesian built a ‘sisterhood’ safe space for survivors

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” Other members ( in the network ) claimed to have received the same photo, and after I posted ( about this trend ) on my TikTok, many people started commenting that they too have received similar photos.”

Scammers frequently send photos taken in flights or in vehicles, aside from lion fruits.

Although the swindlers may be various, it appears that they have a common collection of photos and videos, Elin said.

Another idea, she said, is to pay attention to the development of a marriage. A “red flag” is displayed when a man appears to be rushing and overly dwelling on their grief.

” Don’t brush it off; just leave ( the conversation ) right away if you start seeing these signs. Don’t be alarmed; heartache does go away in two or three days, she said. &nbsp,

“SISTERHOOD” IN THE AGE OF DATING APPS

In the era of dating apps, Elin described the area as a” sisters for single women navigating passion and relationships.”

Through meetings with users, Elin has discovered that older people are frequently the most vulnerable to dating apps scams. They could be one, recently married, or motherless. &nbsp,

Many of them are looking for companionship or are under societal pressure to sit down, and scammers are aware of their potential victims ‘ mental status, she said. &nbsp,

The women are frequently financially stable, which makes them yet more interesting as victims. &nbsp,

Elin said,” The women are more likely to be swayed by sweet talk,” noting that the scammers frequently use false or AI-generated pictures to make them appear more convincing. &nbsp,

Some actually go as far as sending bouquets, buying coffee, or giving them a surprise meal in an effort to earn their trust, she said.

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GE2025: Pritam Singh rebuts opposition criticism of WP not contesting Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC

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On Thursday night, Hougang Png Eng Huat’s party chair Sylvia Lim, past WP secretary-general Low Thia Kiang, and former Member of Parliament &nbsp, were also present. &nbsp,

After Nomination Day on Wednesday, Mr. Singh also disclosed to reporters that he had met with some Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC people to discuss the group’s choice.

I expressed my regret that we weren’t standing there and that we had validated their sorrow. &nbsp,

” But after I explained it to them, after I explained to them what restrictions are being withdrawn, what is a better plan, and what is a better plan, I think they understood where I was coming from,” said Mr. Singh.

MULTI-CORNERED FIGHTS” TO BE THE Rule”

The WP ended up producing a perform for Tampines&nbsp, a Group Representation Constituency it has never challenged in, rather than Marine Parade-Braddell Heights.

Past Aljunied GRC team leader Ong Lue Ping, Mr. Thng, Ms. Eileen Chong, and Mr. Jimmy Tan were also among the new faces in the shock walk, which included past MP Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap leaving the Aljunied GRC team.

In the future General Election, the Tampines GRC may host a unique four-cornered struggle between the WP and Masagos Zulkifli, the PAP team led by the Minister for Social and Family Development, Masagos Zulkifi, as well as individuals from the National Solidarity Party and the PPP.

Investigators on Thursday questioned Mr. Singh about why WP decided to run in the Tampines GRC for the first time and whether he had any worries about the four-way conflict.

Before GE2020,” We’ve been walking in the Tampines,” said Mr. Singh. We wanted to subject a team it, but we, once more, did not have a good enough group of people who were willing to step up. ” &nbsp,

He claimed that like multi-cornered events would soon become commonplace in Singapore’s social scene. &nbsp,

” I anticipated there would be three, four-cornered battles in this election battle,” he said, but they don’t deter us from making a solid case for a responsible, rational party in parliament.

In light of the  last-minute switches seen on Nomination Day, Mr. Singh said there was nothing unintentional about the WP’s plan. In lighting of the method behind where to subject its candidates, there was nothing unintentional about the group’s planning. &nbsp,

You may tell that even the PAP didn’t validate its stone until the very end, as I previously mentioned. So we were undoubtedly very clear about what we wanted to accomplish, he said.

The problem was, of course, to maintain our own prospects in the way that we wanted.” We put forth the most qualified candidates for Singapore. We desire a more equal social structure. ” &nbsp,

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Why China’s robot makers are unfazed by US tariffs: ‘We’re the only supplier’

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A group of customers gathers around an automated shop at China’s largest trade fair, eagerly watching as a pair of robotic hands fix a latte.

More than its creators had anticipated, the robotic cafe has already received orders totaling 8 million yuan ( RM4.82 million or US$ 1.1 million ) during the first two days of the Canton Fair in Guangzhou.

” To our amazement, the buyer enthralling this year has been overwhelming,” said Han Zhaolin, the leader of Dolphin Robot Technology. ” Clients from Vietnam to the Middle East demonstrated a strong willingness to make a purchase on-site.”

Han’s team had no idea how the growing US-China trade conflict, which has seen both sides increase tariffs on each other’s products by around 12 %, would impact sales. He ultimately had nothing to fret about.

The mechanical shop from the fifth generation, which has nearly 100 inventions, is unaffected by Han’s claim, Han said. In light of rising US jobs, the company has been able to remain resilient.

Because of US customers ‘ stringent demands, he said,” We aren’t bearing the tariff, nor are we lowering our prices.” Everything else compares to the goods produced in the US, Germany, or Japan, and North Korean goods cost half as much.

Han’s encounter reflects a wider trend at play at the Canton Fair: a wide range of Chinese-made intelligent products have proven extremely resistant to the effects of the trade war, from bionic limbs to skyscraper-cleaning robots to robotic limbs.

In many cases, the system’s main elements are all directly produced, indicating they are exempt from import duties. They also tend to be much less expensive than their adversary products in Europe and America, and they developed much more quickly, keeping them competitive even in the face of sky-high taxes.

Zhejiang Qiangnao Technology is in a position like this. Despite the current tensions, it is moving forward with releasing its artificial legs and hands, which are controlled by algorithms developed using brain-computer software research.

According to a company representative, Pan Siyu, the company’s smart prosthetic legs have now received health system accreditation from the US Food and Drug Administration and are covered by US health insurance.

They are priced at US$ 50, 000 ( RM219, 275 ), and they continue to be competitive in the market at the current tariff level, Pan said. However, that might change if the US were to increase levies even higher.

The bright artificial legs and hands of our company just cost one-fifth to one-seventh as much as American goods, she said. ” It all depends on the taxes ‘ goings’… US regulations alter often. We didn’t foresee how our goods may be classified in the future.

A Guangzhou-based company named Lindu Intelligent Tech Development won the” Best of the Best” award at this year’s Canton Fair Design Awards.

The machine is a self-developed and eminently special system, like many of the 90, 000 intelligent products exhibited at the exhibition. It is non-invasive, can be used to clear skyscrapers up to 500 meters high, and can be firmly attached to cup curtain walls even in a force-12 hurricane.

” There are very few competitors in the market,” said Chen Sihong, a sales director at Lingdu. Various products can just reach about 60 meters and also require additional liquid pipes and wires.

Exports account for up to 80 % of Lingdu’s total revenue, with exports now accounting for more than 20 countries. According to Chen, Middle Eastern buyers have shown a strong curiosity in the Canton Fair.

Cleaning solutions are costly in foreign nations. He claimed that using our robot to clean a building’s exterior wall costs only 2 yuan ( RM1.20 or US$ 0.27 ) per square meter.

” With the exception of one or two properties cleaned, the expense will be paid off. Additionally, the machine has a duration of up to eight times and can perform 24/7.

Chen did not directly address the impact of US taxes on the company’s profits, but he argued that Chinese tech goods ‘ cost advantages and swift development would become even more obvious over time.

The automated cafe operated by Dolphin Robot, which occupies only 2.5 square meters of floor space, can make more than 50 different beverages, including coffee, milk, tea, matcha, and chocolate beverages. Each cup can be customized according to size, strength, temperature, sweetness, and ice level in only 50 seconds.

According to Han, the system’s low operating cost is a major plus for Western buyers.

He claimed that a single smartphone can control the entire robot cafe remotely. It can self-repair 90 % of malfunctions, run continuously for ten years without hiring anyone, and cost less than 5, 000 yuan ( RM3, 010 ) per year in terms of electricity.

” In contrast, a typical US cafe pays more than 10,000 yuan ( RM6, 020 ) per month for electricity,” the article states.

In some ways, Han added, the trade war may even offer the company an opportunity.

He continued,” It’s not a bad thing.” It increases the interest and willingness of many foreigners to try China’s newest tech product line. That’s one of my biggest takeaways from the Canton Fair this year, according to the South China Morning Post.

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Asian markets mixed as Trump soothes Fed fears

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On Thursday ( Apr 24 ), Asian markets were mixed after President Donald Trump declared he had” no intention” to fire the US central bank head and made diplomatic remarks about his trade dispute with China. Trump’s criticism of the Federal Reserve for not cutting interest rates had sparked fearsContinue Reading

GE2025: Hundreds of fake Facebook accounts, bots spreading anti-PAP and anti-WP sentiments; MDDI urges public to be discerning

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These instances do no contain any tale ideas. But, the postings are fake on those balances.

Additionally, CNA discovered 44 machines working for WP’s Mr. Harpreet Singh, as well as four resigned PAP officials.

In the process, two of these scammer addresses had changed the name of their Facebook profiles.

An account that started out as” Jamal Bashir” in earlier posts about Mr. Singh later changed its name to” Vince Varun” when making comments about the PAP retirements. Another name for” Teck Beng Tan” was changed to” Tan TB.” &nbsp,

Despite their avoidance techniques, CNA was able to observe these fake accounts despite the fact that these attempts show an effort to avoid being discovered by other legitimate Fb users.

CNA likewise discovered a number of TikTok accounts that produce anti-establishment information, including some that target Law and Home Minister K Shanmugam, in addition to the app activities linked to Facebook messages. &nbsp,

These accounts usually use short-form videos that feature AI-generated voiceovers that repeat heated debates in a shared style.

It is unknown where these addresses came from, or whether the person who owns these addresses is based in Singapore. &nbsp,

TELLTALE Symptoms OF Browser Behavior AND Disingenuousness

Some obvious characteristics of fake accounts are that they were just started out, had some connections, and generally featured only in posts that criticize a democratic party and its candidates. Additionally, they lack any genuine content, such as images of someone’s day, that would confirm the account’s authenticity.

Machines, on the other hand, are a number of fictitious accounts run by individuals that suggest a more organized attempt to distribute a particular message on the platform. &nbsp,

They are also known to leave or reply repeatedly, equivalent to spamming strategies. Many fake accounts occasionally post similar comments, though with minor variations to avoid detection.

Both kinds of behavior violate Facebook’s area requirements.

CNA has contacted Meta, the social media company that owns Facebook, to request reply.

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British overstayer busted with cocaine on Samui

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PUBLISHED: 24 Apr 2025 at 12: 57

Three sachets of cocaine are seized from a British man who is arrested on Koh Sami on Wednesday evening. He was also found to have overstayed his visa. (Photo: Bor Phud police station)
A British person who is detained on Koh Sami on Wednesday night has three vials of cocaine seized from him. Additionally, it was discovered that he had overstayed his card. Bor Phud authorities station is in pictures.

A Briton named Satothani has been detained after being discovered with heroin and an expired visa after failing to stop his bike during a police research.

Around 5o’clock on Wednesday, police were on patrol at Chaweng Beach when they noticed a foreign bicyclist breaking the traffic laws. He was instructed to quit, but he veered off. On Wat Phang Bua-Sanam Bin (airport ) Road in tambon Bor Phud, the officers chased the bike and managed to intercept it.

The horse was identified as American federal Michael Philip Martin, 28.

Three capsules of cocaine, weighing 1. 8 grams, were discovered hidden in his head bag during a search. He was taken to the police station in Bor Phud.

Mr. Martin admitted to purchasing the medication for his own use from a Thai person in front of a Chaweng beach bar on Tuesday nights for 4, 000 baht per bag during questioning.

His immigration expired in October of last year, according to a police investigation. He was accused of overstaying his card and illegally obtaining a Category 2 opioid drug.

Michael Philip Martin, 28, a British national, points at three sachets of cocaine after he was arrested on Wednesday evening. (Photo: Bor Phud police station)

American national Michael Philip Martin items to three sachets of methamphetamine that were discovered on him after his arrest on Wednesday night. Bor Phud authorities station is in pictures.

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India and Pakistan: A history of division and war

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KARGIL CONFLICT FROM 1998-99: Uranium WEAPONS AND KARGIL In 1998, Pakistan conducted its first public nuclear weapons test, following India, which second conducted assessments in 1974. In 1999, Pakistan-backed insurgents seized military content in the snowy heights of the Kargil hills and crossed into Indian-administered Kashmir. Leading opposition figure RajaContinue Reading

Kashmiri students threatened in India after attack

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A student association in India reported harassment and intimidation of students from Indian-administered Kashmir on Thursday ( Apr 24 ), following a gruesome attack in the Himalayan region that resulted in the death of more than 20 Indian men. 26 men were killed by gunmen on Tuesday in the holidayContinue Reading