Former business manager makes career switch to become solar engineer at 65

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HELPING MID-CAREER WORKERS

Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive an additional S$4,000 (US$2,980) in SkillsFuture credits in May, which will further offset out-of-pocket fees for selected training courses. Younger Singaporeans will receive the same amount when they turn 40. 

Educational institutions told CNA that they are seeing more adult learners. 

Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) said it has seen about 20 per cent more mid-career workers taking on such diploma programmes over the past year.

Among the courses that are in higher demand are smart facilities management, student care and digital content. 

“Typically, it will be adult learners who are already dabbling, (or are at an) entry level in those fields. So they want to deepen their knowledge and, of course, to sort of move further in the second career,” said Ms Christy Chung, director of NP’s Continuing Education and Training Academy. 

“The motivation to do well and to find a job or related job subsequent to that is very high. So it’s about finding willing employers to do the matching. We have learning and career ambassadors in the campus itself to specifically serve this group of adult learners.”

To better align their courses with industry needs, schools are also turning to companies to curate, design and even conduct classes.

Mr Bernard Nee, deputy president for industry and community at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), cited how telecom company Singtel, for instance, was pushing for sustainable data centres and it “wanted a series of programmes to upskill the workforce to support this new initiative”. 

SIT worked with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and various polytechnics, such as Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic, to offer a series of short courses for this sector, “in different functional roles, as well as to create a extra upgrading pathway for the workforce from ITE Nitec to a diploma and eventually a degree”, he added. 

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7 men linked to vape supply chain in Singapore’s largest seizure of over 85,000 vape products charged

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SINGAPORE: Seven men linked to Singapore’s largest seizure of electronic vaporisers and related products were charged in court on Thursday (Feb 29).

The charging come almost a year after arrests at a multi-storey carpark in Sembawang led to a warehouse raid in Mandai that uncovered more than 85,000 e-vaporisers and related components prepared for sale.

The seven charged on Thursday are: Yeow Wei Feng, 27, Tham Jia Wei, 34, Goh Zheng Lei, 28, Tan Teck Jin, 21, Tan Ping Kang, 28, Muhammad Hailey Muizam, 23, and Sin Poh Meng Ivan, 29.

They are all Singaporeans except for Tan Ping Kang, who is a permanent resident and faces the most charges totalling eight.

Of the seven, Yeow, Goh and Muhammad Hailey were handed charges linked to possessing vapes or pods at a multi-storey carpark at Block 592, Montreal Link on Mar 28 last year.

According to a previous statement by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), the police received a call for help at the carpark that night.

When officers arrived, they detained six people suspected to be involved in the illegal trade of vapes.

The driver of a van was found to be allegedly distributing parcels containing the illegal items to five people, who were allegedly helping to deliver the items to buyers.

HSA officers were activated to help in the operation, and several men were arrested.

THE MANDAI WAREHOUSE RAID

After obtaining leads from this investigation, HSA surveilled a warehouse unit in Mandai the following day, where supplies of vapes were suspected to be stored for runners to collect.

HSA raided the unit and seized more than 85,000 vaporisers and related components. Five suspected runners were detained at the warehouse.

HSA said at the time that the raid disrupted the operations of an illegal vape supply chain and was the largest haul by HSA, surpassing a seizure in 2021 where more than S$2.2 million (US$1.6 million) worth of items were seized.

Of the seven charged on Thursday, Sin, Tham, Tan Teck Jin and Tan Ping Kang were allegedly linked to the Mandai warehouse raid.

They were accused of conspiring to possess over 60,000 pieces of assorted pods for sale, and more than 134,000 sets of vapes for sale.

Tan Ping Kang additionally has extra charges for selling vape pods on Telegram.

The prosecution is seeking fines for most of the men involved. 

The seven men are the latest to be charged over the March 2023 HSA operation.

Malaysian national See Hong Jian, who was involved in the Mandai warehouse operations, was sentenced to 10 months’ jail and fined S$16,000 on Feb 1.

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At least S.2 million lost to fund recovery scams since January: Police

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SINGAPORE: The police on Thursday (Feb 29) issued an advisory warning members of the public against fund recovery scams that claim to be able to help people recover money lost to investment and other scams.

At least 29 cases have been reported since January, with losses amounting to at least S$1.2 million (US$892,389), they said.

The general common approach – or modus operandi – of such scams involve scammers impersonating legal firms or financial services companies and contacting victims through calls, messages or emails offering to assist in the recovery of funds lost due to scams or investments.

In other cases, the victims would come across “fund recovery services” advertised online, such as on Facebook, and contact the scammers for their “services”.

After the first contact, victims would then be instructed to make upfront payments via bank transfers, cryptocurrencies or virtual credits, with the scammers claiming these as part of “administrative procedures”.

“In some instances, scammers may request victims’ banking credentials, debit or credit card details, or one-time passwords (OTPs) and use their information to access the victims’ bank accounts,” the police said.

In other cases, scammers would ask victims to download remote access software such as AnyDesk, which gives them access to the victims’ devices and their bank accounts after the download.

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Immigration Bureau refutes Indonesian woman’s entry denial claims

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Probe finds woman is an online vendor and made up story to create social media content

Immigration Bureau refutes Indonesian woman's entry denial claims
An Indonesian woman posts a clip on TikTok on her trip to Thailand that she and her husband had travelled to Thailand in January, but he was denied entry due to lack of cash. The Immigration Bureau immediately launched a probe and found that her allegations were untrue. (Photo supplied)

The Immigration Bureau has dismissed allegations made by an Indonesian woman who claimed that she and her husband were denied entry into Thailand for their honeymoon due to a cash requirement.

The woman, who recently posted a video on TikTok under the name Herjastipbkk, recounted her experience, claiming that her husband was refused entry due to insufficient cash. However, investigations revealed inconsistencies in her story.

The woman, whose name was withheld, said in the video that she and her husband travelled to Thailand in January for their honeymoon. While she successfully completed immigration procedures, her husband faced a setback as he did not have any cash on hand. Despite her attempts to withdraw money from an ATM to show the required amount, officials at the checkpoint insisted on sending her husband back.

This led her to cancel the planned honeymoon in Thailand and promptly return with her husband, opting for Japan as an alternative destination.

The video gained traction in Indonesia, amassing over 24,500 views with 1,476 comments, causing reputational damage to Thailand’s tourism image, senior immigration officers said at a media briefing on Wednesday night.

Senior immigration officers explain allegations made by the Indonesian woman over entry deny. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimphadee, commander of the Immigration Division 2 and also spokesman to the Immigration Buureau (IB), said the bureau immediately launched a fact-finding following the woman’s allegations.

The investigation found that the woman had entered Thailand at Don Mueang airport on flight FD395 from Jakarta on Jan 4 this year.  

According to the bureau’s findings, the woman travelled alone to Thailand on Jan 4 via flight FD395 from Jakarta to Don Mueang airport, contrary to her claim of travelling with her husband. She was allowed entry and departed on Jan 16 from Suvarnabhumi airport after a 13-day stay, contradicting her TikTok post suggesting an immediate departure with her husband.

In addition, security camera footage at the airport showed she was travelling alone, said Pol Maj Gen Choengron.

Further investigation indicated that the woman frequently travelled between Thailand and Indonesia as an online vendor.

Immigration authorities suspected that the woman fabricated the story for social media content. 

Representatives from the Indonesian Embassy, led by Minister Counsellor Dewi Lestari, attended the media conference. Nithi Siprae, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for marketing communications, was also present.

Security camera footage at Don Mueang airport shows the Indonesian woman, who made the allegations against immigration officials over her husband’s entry deny, shows she is travelling alone.

During the briefing, Pol Maj Gen Choengron showed security camera footage featuring the Indonesian woman travelling alone as evidence.

He said that immigration officials prioritise entry requirements to prevent tourists from entering the country to work illegally. While a cash requirement exists, it is secondary, given the prevalent use of credit cards and e-payments.

The IB spokesman refuted the claim that denial of entry was due to a lack of substantial cash, stating that most denials were linked to failure in presenting travel plans and room bookings. Some individuals even used fake room booking documents. He highlighted concerns about Indonesian nationals being deceived into entering Thailand to work for call centre scam gangs.

The Indonesian embassy thanked immigration officials based at Don Mueang airport for their help in screening Indonesian nationals, said Pol Maj Gen Choengron.

Immigration officials are always ready to welcome Indonesian tourists, he added.

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NUS assistant professor charged with drug offences, including having vape device with Class A controlled drug

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SINGAPORE: An assistant professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) was charged with vape and drug offences on Tuesday (Feb 27).

Jevdic Dorde, 39, has been suspended from work since August 2023, a spokesperson from NUS told CNA on Thursday.

The Serbian national was handed three charges: For consuming a cannabinol derivative called 11-Nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid around early August 2023; for possessing drug utensils at a unit in Clementi Road on Aug 4, 2023; and for possessing a vape device containing a cannabinol derivative in the form of tetrahydrocannabinol.

Tetrahydrocannabinol is a Class A Controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act while 11-Nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid is listed under the Fourth Schedule of the same Act.

The drug utensils Dorde allegedly had in his possession are four straws, a rubber tube and a glass utensil.

Dorde is represented by Mr Gino Hardial Singh from Abbots Chambers.

He indicated at his charging that he would be pleading guilty.

He was offered bail of S$15,000 (US$11,155) and is set to return to court in March.

According to Dorde’s LinkedIn page, he has been an assistant professor at NUS since June 2018. He was listed as from the department of computer science under NUS’ School of Computing before his profile was taken down. 

In its response to CNA, NUS said Dorde will be subject to the university’s internal disciplinary processes pending court proceedings.

“All NUS staff are expected to hold themselves up to high standards of professional and personal conduct, including abiding by the laws and regulations of Singapore,” said the spokesperson.

If convicted of consuming a drug in the fourth schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act, he could be jailed for between one and 10 years, or fined up to S$20,000, or both.

For possessing drug utensils, he could be jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

For possessing a Class A controlled drug, he faces up to 10 years’ jail, a fine of S$20,000, or both.

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These Taylor Swift megafans are watching all 6 shows in Singapore: ‘The best time to just go all out’

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“I was already ready to travel out of Singapore just to watch the Eras Tour,” she added. “If I didn’t get tickets, I would’ve probably gotten them from a reseller. No matter what, I needed to be inside that stadium.”

They had intially planned to attend her shows in Australia but scrapped the idea once Swift announced the Singapore leg, explained Malcolm.

This Eras Tour will mark their friend group’s first Taylor Swift concert together.

Cherry, on the other hand, said she could only secure tickets for one night through the general sales, adding that she had queued overnight at SingPost for them.

For the five other nights, she got the tickets through the Klook packages she bought with her friend and two sisters.

WHAT ABOUT THE COST?

Concerts can be expensive and Eras Tour tickets are priced between S$88 and S$1,228. Multiply that by six, and even before accounting for merchandise, outfits and bracelets, the tickets alone add up to a hefty sum.

Knowing that, Nat, Rebecca and Malcolm were strategic with their ticket purchases. While they splurged on Cat 1 seats for the opening night, they chose more affordable options for the remaining five.

They shared that they spent about S$1,200 per person, just on tickets. 

“It was a conscious decision to go for all (the shows) but not spend too much,” said Rebecca, who works in healthcare. 

She explained that since one VIP ticket costs over S$1,000, it seemed more worthwhile to go for six nights for almost the same amount.

As for Cherry, given how the Eras Tour Klook packages start from S$542, it’s unsurprising that she forked out more money.

The senior finance manager shared that because she also covered the expenses for her two sisters, she spent over S$6,000 and used a credit card with an instalment plan to keep costs manageable. 

And then there are the outfits. 

For their six Eras Tour outfits, Rebecca, Malcolm and Cherry revealed that they kept costs low by buying from fast fashion sites like Taobao, Shein and AliExpress.

Meanwhile, Nat, who works as a pre-school teacher, made most of her outfits by upcycling the clothes she already owns.

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69th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry fair orders exceed B3.7bn

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PUBLISHED : 29 Feb 2024 at 11:56

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

69th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry fair orders exceed B3.7bn

The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization) or GIT have revealed the results of the 69 Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair, held from February 21st to 25th at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The event exceeded expectations, with estimated orders value surpassing 3.7 billion baht and nearly 40,000 participants engaging in various activities.

Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), stated that, “The outcome of the 69th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair surpassed expectations.  Total expected orders over the five days exceeding 3.7 billion baht, marking a 12 percent increase over our target. Over 1,125 leading exhibitors from both domestic and international origins participated, occupied 2,483 booths across halls 1-8 of the G and LG floors at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The event attracted nearly 40,000 visitors, including international visitors from 112 countries. The top five countries in terms of attendance were India, China, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the United States of America, respectively. Notably, there was a significant increase in buyers from Europe and America, indicating a positive trend for Thailand’s main export markets in gems and jewelry. Additionally, buyers from nine new countries including Tunisia, Croatia, and Malta, visited the fair for the first time.

This event was graced by the presence of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, who presided over the opening of the 69th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair on February 21, 2024. On this occasion, the Princess graciously permitted the exhibition of her high jewelry designs under the brand SIRIVANNAVARI x BEAUTY GEMS in the special exhibition titled “Heirlooms of Elegance,” reflecting her royal intention to preserve Thai artisanship and promote the Thai gems and jewelry industry internationally. This exhibition garnered significant interest from attendees.”

Mr. Sumed Prasongpongchai,  Director General of the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (GIT), expressed his satisfaction as the co-organizer of the event, saying “The Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is one of the top five jewelry trade shows in the world, serving as a crucial platform for propelling the Thai gems and jewelry industry onto the global stage. International organizations, including The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) and the ASEAN Gem and Jewellery Trade Association (AGJA), utilize this event to organize activities for their members. Additionally, parallel events are arranged alongside during the show days, such as collaborations between the Bangkok Gems’ organizers and international organizations, signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the Tanzanian Ministry of Minerals for cooperation in the gems and jewelry industry, and discussions on the potential support for the organization of the event with the Yunnan Small and Medium Enterprise Association of China, among others. This highlights the importance of the Bangkok Gems show as a key destination for global players in gems and jewelry industry.”

In addition, the organizers, in collaboration with Huatai Jewelry Trading Platform and TaoBao Global, hosted a Live Commerce event to promote Thai gem and jewelry products to consumers in the People’s Republic of China through leading influencers. This live event attracted more than 130 million online viewers from China, resulting in product orders worth over 500 million baht from exhibitors at the Bangkok Gems fair. 

Within the event, there were various trade promotion exhibitions and activities. These included the New Faces zone dedicated to the new entrepreneurs, The Jewellers showcase displaying creative products from upcoming designers, and The Spiritual Power Showcase “RIT-RICH”, exploring value creation from Thai soft power. A Networking Reception was also organized to facilitate trade networks, alongside export advisory services provided by representatives from overseas Thai Trade Center and gemstone verification services to ensure buyer confidence. Furthermore, seminars on business, marketing, and other relevant topics were held throughout the five-day event, attracting nearly 40,000 visitors and participants.

Finally, the organizers revealed their readiness for the next Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair, the 70th edition scheduled to take place from September 9th to 13th 2024, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Those interested can inquire for more details and reserve space in advance by calling 02 634 4999, extension 639.

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More than S.4 billion set aside in 61,000 ‘money lock’ bank accounts

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SINGAPORE: More than S$5.4 billion (US$4 billion) of savings have been set aside in over 61,000 bank accounts with a “money lock” feature as of February, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan on Thursday (Feb 29).

Introduced by the local banks in November last year as a safeguard against scams, “money lock” allows customers to set aside funds that cannot be transferred digitally.

Customers can lock up their money using the bank’s app or internet banking, but these funds can only be unlocked in person at bank branches or via ATMs.

Speaking in parliament, Mr Tan said other major retail banks in Singapore will roll out this new feature by the middle of this year.

Since the launch, local banks have been making tweaks to their “money lock” offerings.

Last week, DBS said it would extend its version called the digiVault to all accounts, allowing customers to “lock up” funds in their existing accounts. This means that customers no longer have to open a separate account to use the bank’s money-locking feature.

OCBC already allows customers to lock funds without opening a new bank account since last November.

Currently out of the three local banks, only UOB requires customers to set up new “money lock” accounts, but the bank told CNA that it is exploring extending features of its LockAway account to existing bank accounts.

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Health screening, equipment sales, fitness training: What NSmen can expect at new Central Manpower Base

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NEW WEBSITE, APP

Also under development is the OneNS online platform consolidating NS-related services.

The OneNS website will replace the NS Portal this year. An accompanying mobile app, currently in the trial phase, will be rolled out to all units this year as well.

Mr Heng said NSmen would experience fewer disruptions trying to access the OneNS web portal, which is being hosted on a commercial cloud platform.

The app will make daily routines more efficient for NSmen during in-camp training, he added. For example, instead of queueing to scan their NRICs when they register, NSmen can take their attendance easily with the app’s geo-location and QR code features.

NSmen can also get announcements and packing lists for in-camp training on the app, as well as check their IPPT attendance and records.

Mr Heng also provided updates on the government’s efforts to maximise NSmen’s contributions.

“Given low fertility rates, declining cohort sizes and an increasingly demanding mission, the SAF must continue to optimise the contributions of every national serviceman,” he said.

On Wednesday, the government said Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to a historic low of 0.97 in 2023, dropping below 1.0 for the first time.

To optimise deployment of full-time national servicemen (NSFs), SAF has been reviewing medical fitness criteria and matching them to the physical requirements of jobs, said Mr Heng.

Functional assessments were introduced in 2022 for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions, to assess their ability to perform physical tasks needed for jobs.

“This allows for more deployment options than if one were to rely purely on medical classifications,” he said. About 200 of the 280 pre-enlistees tested since 2022 were assessed as functionally able to be deployed to a wider range of roles.

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The Climate Conversations Podcast: Can Singapore’s clean energy transition include nuclear and geothermal sources?

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During his Budget 2024 speech, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a S$5 billion Future Energy Fund as part of Singapore’s transition to clean energy. Geothermal and nuclear energy sources are currently being studied as part of the country’s power portfolio.

GE Vernova’s Asia Decarbonization Leader Kazunari Fukui is our guest this week. 

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