SINGAPORE: Amid concerns of a “brain drain” of skilled workers leaving Malaysia, an official study into Malaysians living in Singapore has found that two-thirds of those living and working here earn a gross salary of S$1,500 (US$1,116) to S$3,599 a month. It also found that almost one in five MalaysianContinue Reading
Nevertheless, the singer shared that for every negative comment she receives, there are a hundred kinder ones, with her favourite being uplifting messages from those in her community.
“I know that everybody is operating on their own belief system… and there’s nothing wrong with that. You can believe something, and I can believe something.”
But that is not to say that the singer never had second thoughts about her music career. Negative comments aside, Shazza said there were times she felt drained as her streams didn’t reflect the amount of effort she put in.
“I need to put food on the table eventually. Like what if this doesn’t work out, and I’m putting so much time into this when I could be working on my degree fully?”
The singer, who calls herself an “on-and-off student”, is an undergraduate at Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.
She started her pursuing her Communication Studies degree in 2021 but soon realised that despite finding the coursework valuable and relevant, she couldn’t envision marketing as her full-time job.
On top of that, she was finding it harder to balance her school commitments with her music career and so, she took two semesters off.
At first, her parents were apprehensive. But as they had always been supportive of her music career, they gradually became receptive to the idea.
Shazza affirms that she intends to finish her degree, saying: “I want to honour the importance and value my parents hold for my education.”
MOVING FORWARD
Although the singer received an influx of followers from the Crash Adams feature, her newfound popularity has yet to transfer onto her music.
Determined to bring more attention to her art, she devised a plan – to release new music.
With a new song coming out soon, Shazza hopes it will encourage listeners to tune in to her previous releases.
When asked about her other goals, the homegrown singer said her “ultimate dream” is to write the National Day song.
“I think I tend to get ahead of myself, so I already started writing it… They haven’t even given me the gig but you know, I think it’s better to be prepared.”
“I really want to be able to do what I love for the country because I really love Singapore,” she said.
That aside, the singer strives to put Singapore’s music scene on the global map while representing her community at the same time.
She said: “Sometimes as an Indian Muslim, I don’t really know where I stand but I like that, because it allows me to connect with two different groups in my own way, and it’s special to me.”
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 06:07
Many police have fallen into debt totalling some 300 billion baht and most are on the verge of bankruptcy, said national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol.
He was commenting in response to questions posed by the House committee reviewing the 2024 annual budget expenditure bill.
On Tuesday, the national police chief was called to answer the panel’s queries over the budget allocated to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) worth 117 billion baht.
In “opening up” to the committee, Pol Gen Torsak said many officers were in bad shape financially, having accrued some 300 billion baht in debt, and are in danger of being declared bankrupt. They were struggling to even own a house.
“Regarding welfare housing, I am asking for a budget to build central flats for officers. If their living conditions improve, they will feel more motivated to serve and protect the people,” said Pol Gen Torsak.
“Senior officers urge junior police to be more spirited in their work maintaining peace and order. However, officers’ quality of life must also meet certain standards.
“Every project undertaken by the RTP is accountable and transparent. If there is something suspicious, I will not sign it,” said Pol Gen Torsak.
He also pointed to a manpower shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the past three years. A police station near Bangkok has space for up to 200 officers, for example. However, only half of the positions are currently filled.
The station, meanwhile, had to serve around 400,000 people in the communities under its jurisdiction, including the unregistered population.
Also, Pol Gen Torsak told the media that he has various units seeking ways to resolve the shortage of police investigators. He attributed the problem partly to other state agencies having borrowed police investigators to work for them.
He said replacements in several positions were needed to prevent the shortage worsening.
But until the shortage is resolved, police stations have had to reassign some staff and send others to work elsewhere to stations running critically short of staff.
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 05:54
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is in discussion with all six airlines in Thailand to increase the number of flights during holidays and lower the flight price ceiling in a bid to address excessive fares.
Transport Minister Suriya Juangruangreangkit said on Wednesday the CAAT on Tuesday met the six domestic flight providers in Thailand: Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet.
At the meeting, the six airlines were required to explain the situation regarding overly expensive flights, especially during the high season.
According to Mr Suriya, the CAAT said it came up with short-term and long-term measures to solve the problem of high flight fares. They may be deterring some tourist visits.
The short-term measure will require airlines to increase the number of flights during holiday seasons to cut down the prices and provide passengers with more options, he said.
The six airlines will have to cooperate with Airports of Thailand (AoT), the Department of Airports (DoA), Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (Aerothai) and tourism authorities to take such action, said Mr Suriya.
The airlines will have their next meeting with the CAAT on Feb 28, he said.
As for the long-term measure, the CAAT is looking to lower the flight price ceiling, citing a change in passengers’ travel habits and the need to reduce burdens for citizens.
The measure will be proposed to the Civil Aviation Commission (CAC) for approval and will be imposed with the interests of the passengers and airlines in mind. It is unclear when the changes might take effect.
The developments came after Wednesday’s remarks by Saritpong Kiewkong, a Bhumjaithai MP for Krabi, who mentioned the problem of unreasonably high airfares for flights arriving into the southern provinces next to the Andaman Sea, such as Krabi and Koh Phangan.
He said the expensive fares are preventing southerners from returning to their homes and also preventing tourists from visiting those provinces, which is in conflict with the government’s policy to boost the economy.
He also emphasised the need for airlines to increase the number of flights to bring down prices, especially during this time when many foreign visitors are travelling to Thailand.
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 05:54
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is in discussion with all six airlines in Thailand to increase the number of flights during holidays and lower the flight price ceiling in a bid to address excessive fares.
Transport Minister Suriya Juangruangreangkit said on Wednesday the CAAT on Tuesday met the six domestic flight providers in Thailand: Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet.
At the meeting, the six airlines were required to explain the situation regarding overly expensive flights, especially during the high season.
According to Mr Suriya, the CAAT said it came up with short-term and long-term measures to solve the problem of high flight fares. They may be deterring some tourist visits.
The short-term measure will require airlines to increase the number of flights during holiday seasons to cut down the prices and provide passengers with more options, he said.
The six airlines will have to cooperate with Airports of Thailand (AoT), the Department of Airports (DoA), Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (Aerothai) and tourism authorities to take such action, said Mr Suriya.
The airlines will have their next meeting with the CAAT on Feb 28, he said.
As for the long-term measure, the CAAT is looking to lower the flight price ceiling, citing a change in passengers’ travel habits and the need to reduce burdens for citizens.
The measure will be proposed to the Civil Aviation Commission (CAC) for approval and will be imposed with the interests of the passengers and airlines in mind. It is unclear when the changes might take effect.
The developments came after Wednesday’s remarks by Saritpong Kiewkong, a Bhumjaithai MP for Krabi, who mentioned the problem of unreasonably high airfares for flights arriving into the southern provinces next to the Andaman Sea, such as Krabi and Koh Phangan.
He said the expensive fares are preventing southerners from returning to their homes and also preventing tourists from visiting those provinces, which is in conflict with the government’s policy to boost the economy.
He also emphasised the need for airlines to increase the number of flights to bring down prices, especially during this time when many foreign visitors are travelling to Thailand.
Military influence in South to decrease
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 05:46
The House of Representatives on Wednesday agreed in principle with three bills that aim to abolish orders issued by the now-defunct National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
The orders restrict public participation in the administration of the restive South while allowing way too much military influence in managing the administrative bodies in the southern border provinces, according to complaints from various political parties.
The three bills which were deliberated one after another and won approval in their first readings in the Lower House on Wednesday.
The bills were proposed by Yunaidee Waba, a Democrat Party MP for Pattani; Chusak Sirinil, Pheu Thai Party deputy leader; and Romadon Panjor, a list MP of the main opposition Move Forward Party.
At the end of Wednesday’s deliberation, the House voted 421-0 to approve the bills in their first reading. It agreed to form a House committee to vet them.
The three orders came under the 14th instruction of the NCPO which was issued in 2016. They have effectively led to the Southern Border Administration Act being rendered partially invalid.
The invalid sections disrupt the function of the advisory council of the Southern Border Administration and Development, which consists of members represented by residents in the far South.
Before the so-called “14th/2016 NCPO” orders were launched, the council had a key role in monitoring the work of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC), a key administrative agency, said Mr Yunaidee.
However, when the orders came, the NCPO appointed its own advisory committee to supervise the SBPAC, which was blamed for a drop in the SBPAC’s efficiency and the lack of public participation and input in the centre’s decision-making process, he said.
The NCPO’s advisory committee has also taken over from the council the duty of offering advice on southern border affairs to the prime minister and the SBPAC’s chief, he said.
The NCPO’s orders have also allowed the Internal Security Operation Command, a military organisation, to have influence over the SBPAC, a civilian-run agency, said Pheu Thai list-MP Chaturon Chaisang, in his capacity as chairman of the House special committee monitoring the government’s work to promote peace in the South.
PM holds emergency meeting on land dispute
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 05:38
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow has pledged to preserve and not touch the forest buffer zones within national parks across the country, to reduce the problem of disputed lands between two state agencies and an ongoing row.
The minister broke the news on Wednesday after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin held a meeting among various parties including Capt Thamanat, Vinaroj Supsongsuk, secretary-general of the Agricultural Land Reform Office (Alro); Jatuporn Burutpat, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry; Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP); and Lt Gen Chakorn Boonphakdee, director of the Royal Thai Survey Department (RTSD).
Capt Thamanat said the row between Alro and the DNP should now end because, in any disputed lands that are within the buffer zone, Alro will not allocate that land to farmers.
As for the 2,933 rai of land in tambon Moosi of Pak Chong district, the DNP said the land is inside the Khao Yai National Park boundary, but Alro earmarked it as agricultural land for farmers and had already issued Sor Por Kor 4-01 certificates for 42 plots. The Royal Thai Survey Department now will examine the case and conclude its mapping survey within three weeks.
He said the dispute over the land has a long history since the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram allocated Sor Por Kor certificates for farmers more than 60 years ago.
The DNP later built firebreaks which hampered residents from farming in the area.
Alro expedited the land allocation process last November before the current government was formed.
To ensure transparency in the inspection, the ministry has instructed Alro to launch a probe into the matter and has since transferred six Alro officials in Nakhon Ratchasima to the central bureau.
“If they are guilty, they will face punishment under Section 157 of the Criminal Code for malfeasance in office,” said Capt Thamanat.
Capt Thamanat said he would turn the almost 3,000 rai of land into a community forest if the RTSD’s examination confirmed the land belongs to Alro.
Mr Srettha posted on X on Wednesday that the disputed land is an urgent problem so he invited various parties to the meeting to find a solution.
Besides Sembawang and Canberra MRT stations that serve residents in the area, another boost to connectivity is the Thomson-East Coast Line, which interlinks with the North-South line at Woodlands station.
New amenities in the area include the Canberra Plaza shopping centre and Bukit Canberra, a sports and community hub that has a hawker centre, indoor sports hall, swimming complex and a polyclinic.
“These enhancements in Sembawang have not only improved the quality of life for its residents but have also contributed to the positive perception of the area, making it an attractive option for property buyers,” said Mr Sandrasegeran.
“These developments have likely played a pivotal role in the observed increase in resale prices of flats in the area.”
He attributes the spike in resale prices to buyers’ interest in newer flats.
Based on data.gov.sg, 1,011 resale flats were sold in Sembawang in 2023. About 42 per cent were flats that had just passed their minimum occupation period (MOP).
With longer remaining leases and minimal wear and tear, these flats are often more attractive to home buyers.
“The entry of these flats into the market post-MOP introduced more options for potential home buyers, likely driving demand and contributing to the overall volume of resale transactions in Sembawang,” he said.
He added that over the past few years, a significant number of residential estates across Singapore have seen million-dollar transactions, apart from Choa Chu Kang, Jurong West, Sembawang and Sengkang.
More than 2,000 flats in Sengkang and Sembawang are expected to reach their MOP in 2024 and unit resales have gradually increased to above S$745,000.
“It is likely we may see a first million-dollar transaction in these estates in the near future,” he added.
Mr Sandrasegeran said that in recent years, non-mature estates such as Punggol and Sengkang have witnessed urban transformations, enhancing their attractiveness to home buyers.
These developments have started to “blur the traditional distinctions between mature and non-mature estates in terms of appeal”.
According to HDB data, a four-room flat in Punggol – a non-mature estate – commanded a median resale price of S$605,000.
In contrast, the median resale price of a four-room flat in nearby Pasir Ris – a mature estate – was S$555,000.
PUBLISHED : 22 Feb 2024 at 05:05
KHON KAEN: Fossils of three more prehistoric animals have been found in tambon Muang Wan in Nam Phong district in addition to ones discovered earlier in the same area.
Sasa-On Khansubha, a palaeontologist from the Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum in Kalasin, said on Wednesday that her team is examining the fossils collected from a swamp in tambon Muang Wan, with initial results showing they belong to a carnivorous dinosaur which preyed on fish, a herbivorous one and a marine species.
Ms Sasa-On added that the site where the fossils were found was a rock formation called the Khok Kruat Formation and that they date back to around 100-110 million years ago. The area was inhabited by fish-eating dinosaurs, which means the area was a biodiversity hotspot and rich in food sources.
The discovery was an addition to the 110-million-year-old fossils belonging to sauropod and spinosaurid species found in late January in tambon Muang Wan.
Ms Sasa-On said local authorities have fenced off the area around the discovery site to prevent people from uncovering and damaging undiscovered fossils. The palaeontologist believes there might be other dinosaur or ancient animal fossils hidden in the vicinity.
“The site where the fossils were discovered has been fenced to allow geologists to search the area under the Fossil Protection Act and to collect as much evidence as possible,” said Ms Sasa-On.
She also said that it was not certain whether the fish-eating dinosaur and the herbivorous one were the same species as those of the 130-million-year-old fossils found in Phu Wiang district in Khon Kaen.
After my newspaper job, I worked for a major tech company for eight years before I decided that my career needed a reset and left to join an ex-boss in his start-up venture.
From a monetary perspective, it seemed like a disaster. I took a massive pay cut and invested money in the start-up. The company folded less than two years later.
But from a career perspective, it was invaluable. I picked up new skillsets like digital marketing and website design, and learned how to pitch to investors.
The career reboot was critical in rejuvenating my spirits and expanding my skillsets. It also made me more resilient against life’s uncertainties.
Start-ups need experienced and talented people all the time, the question is whether you are willing to take a risk with them and benefit from the rapid upskilling.
In seeking long-term job security, employees should not be afraid to contemplate various career trajectories and ask: What are the potential disruptions in my industry, and how can I pivot my skills to remain relevant? What opportunities can I pursue to expand my skills and enhance my marketability?
While technological disruptions have made many people uneasy, they have also brought along new ways and opportunities for us to build our career paths.
Once you understand that your career is in your hands, you have the power to shape it and not wait for the axe to fall.
Ian YH Tan is a strategic communications lecturer at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University. He has more than two decades of experience working in the media and technology industries.