SingPost ‘confident’ of legal position after former CEO, CFO say they will contest sacking

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After two former senior executives declared they would contest their sacking and called their firing unfair, Singapore Post on Tuesday ( Dec 24 ) said it was confident in its legal position.

The company abruptly terminated the positions of its group’s CEO, Vincent Phang, group’s chief financial officer, and Li Yu, the group’s global business unit, on Saturday.

This came after a sensor into a complainant’s report had found “grossly careless” behavior in their management of internal investigations.

In a speech released on Monday, Mr. Phang and Mr. Yik said they would “vigorously battle” their fire.

After centuries of devoting and giving our best service, the committee decided to fire us from our positions at the business, and we are disappointed about that. It is our place that the cancellation is without merits, and was also randomly unjust”, they added.

A SingPost spokeswoman said on Tuesday that she was convinced of her constitutional position and would address this matter when and how necessary in response to CNA inquiries.

” In illumination of probable dispute, we are unable to provide any additional comment on this matter.”

When questioned about Mr. Phang and Mr. Yik’s intent to file legal claims against the business, the spokesperson said the company was unable to “mentigate more” in light of potential dispute.

In a statement released on Tuesday, S&amp, P Global Ratings stated that the three top executives ‘ firing has given the company a sense of uncertainty about its future.

” Given SingPost’s history of regular turnover in control, the latest absences increase the bank’s credit risks, “it added.

We will look into this control and management issue as part of our decision to fix a CreditWatch placement on our company ratings.

This comes days after SingPost revealed that it plans to sell its business in Australia. &nbsp,

INVESTIGATIONS

The second reporting record, according to SingPost, was received in January of this year, with investigations continuing right away. &nbsp,

According to the report, SingPost’s global enterprise system allegedly manually entered a number of delivery status codes. The business had entered into a contract with one of its biggest clients to provide these for foreign transhipment packages.

These human entries reportedly were made without any justification or supporting paperwork in an effort to avoid legal repercussions under the agreement. &nbsp,

Earlier in March and April, results from the party internal audit were made public.

After that, an outside law firm and forensic service company were hired to carry out additional studies, which came to an end in August. &nbsp,

After the inspection, three unexplained managers who were directly involved in the case went through administrative trials, and they were found to have committed major breaches of the bank’s code of conduct. &nbsp,

They performed or approved guide” supply loss” standing codes for parcels, even though no supply attempt had been made and without supporting documents, said SingPost. &nbsp,

Since then, the three administrators have been fired, and a police investigation has been filed against them.

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Geopolitical rivals compete for Vietnam’s defence dollars at expo

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At a current fair, global arms business people vied for Vietnam’s defense money as the nation attempts to cut back on its reliance on Russia for weapons. &nbsp,

Over 200 firms from 30 countries including China, Russia, United States, Iran, Israel and India took part in the event which ended on Sunday ( Dec 22 ).

Vietnam’s military department, which organised the occasion, said that over US$ 286 million worth of deals were signed by local organizations, increase the value signed in the last model in 2022. Total, seventeen participation agreements were signed.

However, the show’s success was not just about the company feature, said Nguyen Khac Giang, &nbsp, visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Vietnam Studies Programme.

Organising the fair does not involve having more contracts for Vietnam; rather, it demonstrates that Vietnam is willing to collaborate with numerous other countries around the world, he told CNA’s East Asia Tomorrow on Monday.

Given the ongoing conflicts between some states that attended- including Iran-Israel, US-China and US-Russia- the occasion showcased Vietnam’s political ability, he added.

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Singapore charities call for more donations, volunteers amid festive season

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For some, the festive times like Christmas and the future Chinese New Year activities are a day for spring cleaning and getting rid of unnecessary things.

In response, some neighborhood organizations reported seeing a significant increase in gifts of used goods.

Another organizations like the Boys ‘ Brigade in Singapore, yet, said they face some difficulties.

It reported to CNA that it has raised about quarter of its donation goal this year.

” We have plenty corn … and instant pasta, but what we’re quick of are things like beverages, kosher canned food, cakes and cookies. But if we can have more of these funds, that would be beneficial to us”, said Mr Desmond Koh, senior director of Boys ‘ Brigade Singapore.

For this festive season, its participants, including students involved in the armed group, have prepared hampers that will go to 51, 185 beneficiaries this time – the highest amount that it has served.

However, the generosity does not have enough participants who can push to provide the hampers, which comprise items like wheat, canned foods and biscuits.

This spurred it to come up with a fresh strategy to make it more suitable for individuals: On-foot delivery.

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Public toilet cleanliness efforts to be stepped up as coffee shop restrooms remain below standards

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The late established Public Toilets Taskforce told CNA that it would make tips in the first quarter of next year, including those relating to the design, maintenance, and assessment of public restrooms.

According to doctors, an impure bathroom poses risks, such as the spread of bacteria bacteria, skin irritation and infection, especially in areas where people gather and eat food.

” If you go to the toilet, you don’t sanitise your hands ( and ) after that, you go on to consume food&nbsp, – there’s a higher chance of you getting gastrointestinal diseases”, said Dr Daniel Soong, director of Unihealth Medical.

He added that people should get hygiene really to defend themselves and others, even though the chances of transmission are generally low because visits are frequently temporary.

HOW ARE INSPECTIONS AVAILABLE?

The Singapore Food Agency ( SFA ) performs surprise spot checks on hawker center toilets, while the SFA performs similar checks on coffee shops ‘ toilets.

Inspectors check for loose waste on the ground, if the bins are overflowing, if amenities such as taps and cleaning equipment function, if doors lock effectively, if shampoo and bathroom paper are satisfactory, and for water stains on the floor.

Ivan Yap, a NEA inspector, said the region around the fall is typically the worst because people frequently squirm liquid after washing their hands. &nbsp,

” It’s really a very bad behavior. As he checked the restrooms at Sembawang Hills Food Centre, he explained that it will leave a lot of water markings on the floor, produce slips and falls, and in the long run, it may leave a permanent stain on the ground as well.

He stated that if there are any problems,” we will tell the idea owner or operators on the failures observed and we will follow up with an email to them …with images and say that there will be police actions taken against them, if any ),” but that their situation was acceptable.

Users are required to finish any broken or defective items, such as soap dispensers and hands dryers, by a set date.

If they do not do so, they can be slapped with fines up to S$ 5, 000 ( US$ 3, 700 ).

Government TOILETS ARE GOING DISTINCT IN 2024

Additionally, a team at Singapore Management University ( SMU) discovered that the toilets in coffee shops across the country have gotten dirtier in the last year.

In all four editions of the research that began in 2016, coffee shop toilets were deemed to be in the bottom line, far below those in purchasing centers, train stations, and stalls centers.

CNA spoke to members of the public who agreed with the conclusions, with some saying they avoid using the bathroom at caffeine stores.

One woman claimed she had not had a positive experience that because she had issues with slick surfaces and a lack of toilet papers.

Another said:” I don’t actually visit the toilet at coffee shops because I’m afraid that it’ll be unclean. Sometimes there are “used bathroom paper” or “used surgical pads” around the bathroom bowls.

The survey also revealed that nearly half of Singaporeans surveyed said they would pay to employ restrooms if cleaning may be assured.

Of those prepared, eight in 10 were open to paying 10 to 30 percent, while four in 10 were willing to fork out 50 percent to over S$ 1 for a better experience.

SMU principal teacher of figures &nbsp, Rosie Ching, who was behind the study, said the findings will be shared with key partners with hope that more collective action can be taken.

Digital FOR Toilet

At 510 Chai Chee Lane, one espresso shop that is against the flow is located.

The Restroom Association Singapore (RAS ), which promotes clean bathrooms for everyone, gave it its first five stars rating for it in a coffee shop toilet last month.

Public restrooms are given marks of three to six stars in its documentation program, based on factors like cleaning and amenities.

Operators of the coffee shop claimed they turned to technology to make the coffee store’s toilet more accessible.

They invested$ 80, 000 to beautify their bathroom, including a feedback section that lets users notify employees when the floors are wet or when the shampoo is dry.

” With all this technology, it helps. I don’t need to maintain asking my team to go in and check whether there’s toilet paper, if the floor is no clean… what’s run out, etc”, said Ben Yeo, co-owner of Tan Xiang Chai Chee coffee shop.

” We don’t have the pleasure like resorts or shops that have labor. With all of this, they aid us in reducing our need for labor solely to clean the bathrooms.

The coffee store’s bathroom also features hanging flowers and taste diffusers, with song playing in the background. Smart bidets are expected to be included in future strategies.

Rules AND EDUCATION

Sandeep Khanna, the association’s executive director, reported that the organization is working with SFA to develop new guidelines for toilets in coffee shops in order to increase fundamentals like enhancing the space’s brightness and smell.

These guidelines were created with in mind the particular challenges and difficulties of coffee shops, as well as how we can progress them incrementally, he continued.

By the fourth quarter of the following year, the association hopes to release them.

Additionally, it is collaborating with partners to develop customized instruction for cleaning staff and make smart technologies like sensors more affordable for espresso shops.

Beyond the documentation, he said,” We need to style bespoke and personalized training programs for them so that they can do their jobs much.”

The Public Hygiene Council, which was formed in 2011 to increase standards of cleanliness and health in Singapore, said knowledge is another important aspect for cleaner services.

To help students learn the value of good restrooms etiquette and how to maintain them clear, it piloted a bathroom cleaning component this year at two major universities.

According to Dr. Christina Liew, the executive director of the council,” We really are trying to promote this good, good behavior from a very young years, so these kids know the fundamentals of how to keep restrooms clean and they can get home and tell their family members as well.”

Next time, it intends to offer the package to another 15 institutions.

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Indonesia developing new early warning system using GPS to detect tsunamis

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LOCAL Knowledge

In Simeulue, one of many territories in Indonesia’s Aceh province, fewer than 10 people were killed in the Boxing Day wave. &nbsp,

Visitors told CNA that centuries of intelligence have helped to reduce the island’s death toll. This comes after Simeulue experienced a significant earthquake and tsunami in 1907, which claimed the lives of thousands of its residents.

Karina Purwanti, a native of Simeulue, was 15 times old when the storm ravaged her hometown.

We wanted to see when the ocean receded because there were plenty of fish in front of the property right next to the water. Therefore, according to the instructor at Sinabung Senior High School 1, my aunt warned us against going there.

” Typically, there will be’ smong’ (tsunami in the Devayan speech ), and there will be great waves. After that, we were led back to the house’s base rock. When we climbed away, we saw the water levels increase three days”, she recounted.

Mohammad Riswan Roesli, a historical activist from Simeulue, claimed that local wisdom on floods has saved lives. &nbsp,

Riswan, who writing and songs pass this custom down to the younger generation, believes a more conscious effort is required to ensure local understanding is not forgotten.

According to him,” the government must develop a policy to make for local wisdom a formal component of the curriculum.” &nbsp,

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More Malaysians believe country’s going in ‘right direction’, approve of Anwar at 2-year mark as PM: Survey

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Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 10, the Merdeka Center polled 1, 207 registered citizens across the nation. The participant combine was 52 per share Malay, 29 per cent Chinese, 7 per cent Indian, 6 per cent Muslim bumiputera and 6 per cent non-Muslim bumiputera.

More responders, according to the most recent research, think that Anwar has boosted Malaysia’s reputation, attracted foreign traders, and taught efficiency and dignity in the civil service.

When asked if Anwar was “working hard to strengthen the people’s business,” the responses were practically middle-class.

On the other hand, 39 per cent of them said they were dissatisfied with Anwar’s achievement as of end-November 2024, along from 43 per cent a year ago.

Co-founder and program director of the Merdeka Center Ibrahim Suffian described concerns over economic forces as a “persistent” problem, in part because many Malay continue to struggle with rising living costs.

” Although earnings have slowly improved since the COVID-19 time, costs have gone away and many also feel that need to expand their ringgit”, he told CNA.

” Also, these things take time to be realized and trickle down to the average person, while people are optimistic about the investment commitments generated during the PM’s outings abroad.”

ECONOMY, INFLATION TOP VOTERS ‘ Problems

On Dec 22, Anwar summed up his government’s financial efforts in a Facebook article titled” 2024 Features: Soaring Economy, Abundant Prosperity”.

The premier touted the RM254.7 billion ( US$ 56.7 billion ) in approved digital investments from January to September 2024, saying this was expected to create 159, 000 new jobs.

His administration’s New Industrial Master Plan 2030 has even led to a 4.7 per cent increase in the manufacturing industry’s added value to the country’s private total solution, amounting to RM4.2 billion.

He wrote,” The Madani government has implemented various plans to continue improving the economy throughout this year for the prosperity of the people and the country.”

Despite this, a large majority of respondents to the Merdeka Center survey said they were concerned about the economy and believed that Malaysia was heading in the wrong direction.

Most of them cited “unfavourable economic condition in general” as the reason, followed by high costs of living, minimum income and weakening of the ringgit.

Anwar may have managed the economy fairly well, but local residents still experience the pinch from rising costs, according to Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research.

” The problem is, people are thinking- right now- the prices of goods are very high, their income seems to be static, and business is not growing”.

Of those who said Malaysia was going in the wrong direction, other reasons given were weak administration, politics, leadership and racial issues, the study found.

” Issues driving voter motivations remain unchanged: The economy and inflation”, the study said.

While concerns over political instability have evaporated, there is a slight rise in concerns over identity politics, specifically the protection of Malay rights, the study noted.

ANWAR’S APPROVAL RATING REBOUNDS

Since he took office in November 2022, Anwar has generally maintained a favorable approval rating.

He started out with a 68 % approval rating, but this dropped to 50 % at the end of his first year, largely as a result of concerns about the economy and how it affected livelihoods, according to Merdeka Center at the time.

Anwar’s rating dropped to its lowest point of 43 % in June 2024, the only month it fell below 50 %, before regaining its 54 % as of the end of November.

Because the survey was conducted ahead of timed delivery as part of government efforts to reduce diesel subsidies, Ibrahim claimed, the rating dropped to a low in June.

” There was anxiety over the effect that might have had on consumer goods and services, alas that didn’t materialise or have a deep impact”, he said.

According to Azmi, the decline may be a result of spattering perceptions since early 2024 about Anwar’s alleged failure to carry out his promised institutional reforms.

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Grab, Gojek, CDG Zig, Tada platform fees to rise by up to 50 cents from Jan 1

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SINGAPORE: Four ride-hailing operators in Singapore will be raising their platform fees by up to S$ 0.50 ( US$ 0.37 ) from Jan 1, 2025, in a move they partly attribute to costs&nbsp, arising from the upcoming Platform Workers Act.

Grab, the leading ride-hailing platform in Singapore, will increase its fees&nbsp, from S$ 0.70 to S$ 0.90 for commuters, it said in a statement on Tuesday ( Dec 24 ).

The new “platform &amp, partner fee” will support Central Provident Fund ( CPF ) contributions, work injury compensation ( WIC ) coverage and other welfare initiatives for its platform workers, as well as platform&nbsp, maintenance and service improvements, it added.

For its foods, shopping and shipment delivery service, its costs will go up from S$ 0.40 to S$ 0.60.

Gojek will even increase its app cost by S$ 30 to S$ 50 per journey, with the technician stating on Tuesday that these changes are intended to “protect drivers and their earnings in support of the Bill” in addition to improving and maintaining its services.

Also, ComfortDelGro, Singapore’s largest car operator, said on Tuesday it will increase its system fees. The actual cost will depend on factors like the distance traveled and the length of the trip, and it will be charged to commuters for S$ 1.20, which is higher than the current smooth rate of S$ 0.70.

Trips made with the CDG Zig game, DBS PayLah!, may be covered by this. app and Kris software.

The increase will go toward “enhanced security and&nbsp, welfare activities that are part of the new System Staff Bill, providing a more enjoyable and secure prospect for our drivers,” according to Mr. Tommy Tan, CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi.

The company added that the adjustment will help pay operating costs for platform workers ‘ new initiatives under the Ministry of Manpower’s ( MOM), including enhanced insurance coverage and CPF contributions.

TADA also announced that it would increase its app cost by S$ 0.50 per journey, excluding GST.

An email sent to clients on Tuesday reads,” In addition to maintaining latest features and creating new ones to provide a better ride-hailing knowledge for you, this modification is also crucial to the application of the president’s Platform Workers Bill.”

Ryde has been contacted by CNA to inquire whether its app fees may be changed in the same way.

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The Edge apologises to Singapore ministers over article on Good Class Bungalows

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The Singapore, a business publication, apologized to Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Tuesday ( Dec 24 ) for a Bloomberg article that The Edge reproduced on its website.

A POLFA adjustment purchase issued to a number of entities on Monday, titled Singapore Mansion Deals Are Extremely Shrouded in Secrecy, was the subject of the article.

The article addressed Good Class Bungalow ( GCB) transactions in Singapore and contained a number of statements that the government later determined to be false.

The article’s authors, Mr. Shanmugam and Dr. Tan, both mentioned in the article, said they would be issuing Letters of Need to Bloomberg and other outlets that may reproduce the article in its entirety or in part because they felt the piece was libellous and indicated on December 16 that they would do so. &nbsp,

The Edge stated on Tuesday that it was aware that the article it reproduced and the accompanying Facebook post “meant and were understood to mean that ( Mr. Shanmugam/Dr Tan ) wanted to conceal ( their ) transaction( s ) and avoid scrutiny, including about the possibility of money laundering.”

The Facebook post read:” Bloomberg says more people buy homes with trusts, hiding owners ‘ identities” .&nbsp,

The Edge acknowledged and acknowledged that the claims are” entirely false and without any basis.”

The ministers were also apologised for the “distress and guilt” that the content and Facebook article caused them.

The Advantage stated,” We have removed the content and the post and commit to not make any claims or submit any content and/or posts containing any claims to the same or similar effects.”

CNA has contacted The Edge, as well as Mr Shanmugam and Dr Tan, for additional comment.

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‘God’s gifts’: Why this Indonesian man rescues abandoned babies from jungles, rental flats and highways

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According to Birhan, the higher rate of child dumping in Indonesia is largely attributable to the country’s strict abortion laws and the lack of comprehensive sexual education. &nbsp,

In Indonesia, even the world’s most populous Muslim country, abortion is improper except in cases of health crises and murder. &nbsp,

According to a report from the National Population and Family Planning Agency, there are 2.4 million abortion situations in the nation each year, and up to 700, 000 of these cases involve youth, or about 30 % of them. &nbsp,

Irrespective of their marital status, Burhan also provides a safe haven for abandoned children and assists people who are experiencing unwanted pregnancy and mental health issues. Together with his devoted group, he makes sure these women are kept informed and given until the day they are due. &nbsp,

He claimed that many of these women’s families reject them because they are frequently willing to take care of the children. &nbsp,

” We want to gain the baby to the mother but people usually express shame, saying things like’ while we accept the mother, we do not take the child'”, said Burhan, who was first featured in a series on common soldiers on CNA’s Bahasa Indonesia site. &nbsp,

A person who has worked to address waste disposal issues in a town in West Java state as well as an dog lover who has been looking out for stray animals are other stories in the series. &nbsp,Continue Reading