Business plans delayed, revenues slashed as driving lesson shortage hurts private bus operators

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Getting HALTED

Public vehicle providers like as SMRT, SBS Transit and Tower Transit told CNA that they conduct their personal in-house training for individuals, and so&nbsp, are unaffected&nbsp, by the lack of driving training games.

The waitlists for securing teaching slots for private business businesses could last for up to a year.

The high turnover rate for local vehicles sooner in 2024 led Mr. Farid Khan, CEO of Singapore Cab Booking, to think about employing foreigners instead.

For his ships of 12 trucks, he now employs 15 native drivers.

However, Mr. Khan’s ideas were put on hold after learning about the lengthy waiting periods. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The disruptions, which began earlier this year, were disclosed to him by the foreign worker recruitment companies he had spoken to for assistance in finding employees. &nbsp,

” We need to find a time and date for the exam so that it coincides with their stay around.” It’s very difficult, the demand is there, but the supply ( of drivers ) is less”, Mr Khan added. &nbsp,

The condition was harsh on businesses like his, according to the director of a different bus charter company that has a fleet of 90 buses.

The vehicle has no other options. During this time, he’s never supposed to do anything and just wait for the licence”, he reiterated. &nbsp,

Employees usually only have two years to complete their work permits, and they could lose the Class 4 driving test after waiting ten times for a test time. By the time they wait for their next evaluation time, their allows might be nearer to expiring, said the chairman. &nbsp,

Although foreigners and work permits do never make up the majority of his staff, he has stopped hiring new vehicles for the moment because it is “impossible to wait that long.” &nbsp,

” We think that people who require driver’s licenses for their jobs may become prioritized,” he continued. &nbsp,

Continue Reading

Dyson retrenchment package understood to be one month per year’s service; Singapore union ‘concerned’ over lack of info

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: While laid-off workers at Dyson’s global head office in Singapore were believed to have received the usual one month’s pay for every year worked, the union speaking out on their behalf said it remains in the dark over any possible limit to this retrenchment package.

In its second public statement on Tuesday’s (Oct 1) layoffs, the United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI), via the union’s executive secretary Patrick Tay, said it was still trying to confirm details of the package. 

“We understand from some affected employees that they were told to keep it confidential or risk affecting their retrenchment package,” said Mr Tay in a Facebook video posted on Wednesday.

“As far as we know, it is in line with the UWEEI norm of one month per year of service. But we do not know if there is a cap on this retrenchment package.

“That is why we are concerned that we have not received more information from Dyson on who the affected workers are or their job levels as Section 30A of the Industrial Relations Act also allows UWEEI to represent executives individually on retrenchment benefits.”

Mr Tay – who is also the assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the umbrella organisation UWEEI is affiliated to – reiterated the disappointment it had initially expressed about the short notice it was given, despite Dyson being a UWEEI unionised company.

“This is unacceptable, as it does not give sufficient time for discussion between Dyson and UWEEI to ensure not just a fair, but also a responsible and progressive retrenchment exercise,” said Mr Tay in the video.

If UWEEI had been informed earlier of the retrenchment exercise, he said, this would have allowed the workers affected to be better supported as well as ensured that their interests and welfare were looked after. 

By not informing UWEEI earlier, Mr Tay said that Dyson was going against the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment. 

The union has formed a “taskforce” to support affected workers, added Mr Tay, who ended his video message with a call for workers in Dyson to join the union.

“Together, we are stronger,” said Mr Tay.

When asked by CNA on Tuesday, Dyson said it had “respectfully informed UWEEI in advance”, adding that the company was “following all prevailing (Ministry of Manpower) guidelines”.

Tuesday’s layoffs came three months after Dyson said Singapore was “not directly impacted” by a global restructuring that involved 1,000 job cuts in Britain.

The number of retrenched workers from the Singapore office remains unknown.

Continue Reading

Don’t employ disabled people out of sympathy, says HR expert who promotes inclusive hiring

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: Employers who want to hire disabled people should not do so out of empathy or sympathy, said Ms Ho Geok Choo, CEO of human resources and training firm Human Capital Singapore.

“We want (firms) to be able to recognise these people for who they are and what they could contribute,” said Ms Ho, who champions inclusive hiring.

She noted that local firms need a lot of encouragement and possibly more exposure to people with disabilities to hire them. At the same time, “it takes two parties to tango”, she told CNA’s Deep Dive podcast.

She also pointed out that when given employment opportunities, people with disabilities should deliver on time and produce quality work.

“As much as employers would like to give them a chance, PWDs (persons with disabilities) would have to really try and sell themselves because they believe in their own capability,” she added.

Ms Ho’s firm launched a programme called HR Power Bank in 2021 which supports the employment of persons with disabilities.

Her comments came as the government announced new recommendations under the Enabling Masterplan 2030, a national roadmap for the government and community to work together to support people with disabilities.

These include funding support for employers to implement inclusive hiring practices and gig jobs to help people with disabilities return to the workforce.

Continue Reading

Durian farmers in Malaysia vie to offer more premium varieties to hungry Chinese consumers

By:
On:
In: Asia

“This is another new opportunity, because in terms of fruit wise, consumers (prefer) freshness. So fresh durian is a very new thing for consumers, and definitely, we have a lot of big demand from the China market,” said Mr Tan Sue Yee, CEO of Malaysian durian supplier Top Fruits.

“The biggest challenge is fresh durians have a shorter shelf life, so we need to do it in a very fast way, and we are only able to do it by air shipment,” he added.

For more than a decade, the company has been shipping frozen durians to China, which has become its biggest overseas market and accounts for about 60 per cent of its total exports.

Mr Tan said the chance to export fresh durians has opened doors to introduce more varieties to the Chinese market.

It could also inspire more local entrepreneurs to invest in agribusiness, as well as encourage farmers to adopt better farming practices and improve the quality of their products, he added.

He said that while the most popular varieties are Musang King and Black Thorn, the company will “slowly focus more” on premium ones like D198, Golden Phoenix and IOI.

“(In) Malaysia, we have about 200 types of variety for the Chinese consumers, but we have to find the right variety and the right quantity for us to export,” he said.

While neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam have had a head start in exporting fresh durian, Malaysian farmers told CNA they are confident in the unique quality of their thorny fruit.

Durian Academy founder Lim Chin Khee said: “We are going for the premium market. That’s why I think it’s good that … we (sell) much more expensive (durians).

“Malaysia focusing on the premium market is the right path.”Continue Reading

CNA Explains: What are the changes to Singapore’s healthcare subsidies?

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

What’s the impact?

More people – up to 1.1 million Singapore residents, according to MOH – will benefit from increased subsidies.

The increased subsidies for community hospitals also aims to encourage “right-siting” of patients, which refers to providing appropriate medical care wherever cost is the lowest possible. 

In a speech on Monday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung noted that some patients could be reluctant to move to community care settings because they feel more assured of government financial support in acute hospitals.

The latest changes, along with increased community care capacity and the rollout of Healthier SG and Age Well SG, point to a significant shift in focus from hospitals to community and home settings, said Mr Ong.

Plans for the higher subsidies were actually announced earlier this year, during the Budget by then-Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He said then that the changes will cost the government an extra S$300 million a year.

Public health specialist Jeremy Lim said that in the grand scheme of things, this additional spending is not a “large sum” compared to the overall national budget for healthcare. MOH’s revised expenditure for last year came up to nearly S$18 billion.

“What’s important is that the monies help to allay citizens’ concerns about healthcare affordability and increase accessibility,” said Assoc Prof Lim.

“Ideally, citizens then access these services earlier, have better outcomes and have the peace of mind about affordability.” 

And on a wider level, this could improve efficiency and lead to savings from avoiding late diagnosis and complications, he added.  

Continue Reading

Olivia Rodrigo in Singapore: Why the Gen Z singer’s emotional honesty is exactly what millennials need

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

When Rodrigo got to Vampire, her third song of the night on Tuesday, the whole stadium was knee-deep in their feelings, screaming their lungs out to her lead single from Guts about being taken advantage of, lied to, and ultimately used by a lover. I imagine it was sheer catharsis for anyone nursing a recent heartbreak, with a whole stadium full of people seemingly in the same boat. 

Even within the realm of heartache and histrionics, Rodrigo finds a way to showcase her range – vocally, emotionally and even theatrically. 

Switching up the tempo several songs later with the more upbeat Love Is Embarrassing, in which she turns to self-deprecation by deriding herself for being attracted to her crush, her confidence and self-assuredness on stage far belied her young age. 

Judging by her mini soliloquy before beginning Teenage Dream too, you wouldn’t be able to tell she was just 21. Having written the song a few days before her 19th birthday, she opined that if she could give her 18-year-old self any advice, she’d want her to know that she has no idea how many “magical things” were around the corner for her. 

I only developed the same gratitude for life’s ups and downs a decade later than she did, so I knew from once being a teenage girl that her words were like gospel to fans around me. And I found myself wishing they realised how lucky they were to have someone they idolise remind them of life’s core truth: It works itself out.

Continue Reading

As expats exit Hong Kong and mainlanders enter, businesses and communities count the costs. How are they adapting?

By:
On:
In: Asia

The non-Chinese population stood at less than half that count three years ago, at around 593,000, according to the territory’s once-a-decade census. While not directly comparable due to the inclusion of mobile residents – people who do not live there full-time – the figures indicate a net outflow of foreigners.

Analysts have cited key factors like the hefty toll exacted by strict COVID-19 curbs, along with the political shifts in the wake of the 2019-2020 mass protests and a subsequent sweeping crackdown by China in the form of the national security law.

They add that global financial hubs like Singapore and Dubai have also become more attractive to expats, especially with the pandemic and politics weighing particularly heavy on Hong Kong. 

Data from international relocation company Asian Tigers Group over the last four years bears out this trend. While inbound numbers remain similar, it has seen a near 50 per cent drop in outbound figures since 2020 – indicating a widening gap between expats moving in and out of Hong Kong. 

“In the past 20 years, people I met who’ve been here for more than 20 years who say ‘I’m leaving,’ it definitely (could be counted) within these 10 fingers,” Mr Ng Yew Beng, general manager of Asian Tigers Group, told CNA.

“But in the past three or four years, I need to use your fingers, toes, and that guy’s fingers,” he quipped, referring to the increased tally of departing expats. 

Continue Reading

The ‘new normal’: Singapore firms face higher costs in preparing for erratic weather

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

COSTS LIKELY TO GO UP

The Singapore National Employers Federation also welcomed the advisory, as it provides clear and actionable guidance on the preventive measures that employers can take against specific weather-related hazards, said its deputy honorary treasurer and workplace safety and health council member Adrian Lim.

It also serves as a “timely reminder” for all employers to conduct regular risk assessments of safety and health hazards at workplaces and implement the necessary measures to mitigate the risks, he added. 

Still, Mr Lim acknowledged that employers would run into practical challenges when making the recommended weather-related adjustments.

In the construction sector, for example, rescheduling outdoor work to parts of the day when the temperature is cooler could mean extending work into the night. 

“This is not always possible due to noise affecting nearby residents,” said Mr Lim. 

Costs for employers would likely go up, said SMU’s Assoc Prof van Gevelt, such as in the form of installing cooling infrastructure for workers.

NUS’ Assoc Prof Lee said: “Ensuring workers’ safety and health is always a good investment, but ultimately, this depends on what measures the employers choose to implement.”

Some are cost-free, while there are upfront costs for other measures which need to be weighed against the longer-term benefits, he said. 

One infrastructure and civil engineering company, OKP Holdings, told CNA that it has already spent more than S$50,000 (US$39,000) implementing measures to cope with extreme weather conditions. 

Its workers are generally exposed to two types of weather-related risks – lightning during heavy rains and heat stress due to rising temperatures.

Workers are prohibited from working outdoors during adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain and when there is lightning.

In cases of extreme hot weather, workers are provided with cooler boxes and ice cubes to keep their bottled water cold. The company also sets up water points and water parades – a local term for water drinking session – as well as heat stress boxes for emergencies.

Misting systems and solar fans have also been installed at sheltered rest areas at construction sites.

With the recent advisory, OKP Holdings said it will review and revise its risk assessment to ensure that adverse weather conditions are taken into consideration. 

This is among the four measures that MOM and the WSH Council advised employers to implement to better prepare for adverse weather conditions.

Others include monitoring weather conditions closely by using weather monitoring systems and subscribing to weather alerts; communicating possible weather-related hazards to workers and training them to recognise such hazards; as well as preparing recovery plans and inspecting affected structures and essential outdoor machinery and equipment.

“The group expects to incur additional costs as we continue to enhance measures to safeguard the welfare of workers in adverse weather conditions,” said OKP Holdings, adding that the investment will be “beneficial in the long run”.

Continue Reading

Dyson conducts ‘surprise’ layoffs in Singapore, leaving employees in shock and in ‘low morale’

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: Dyson conducted a round of layoffs in Singapore on Tuesday ( Oct 1 ) in a” surprise” move that has left employees here feeling shocked and in “low morale”.

This comes about three weeks after the tech firm said Singapore, which serves as its world mind business, was” never explicitly impacted” by a worldwide reform that involved about 1, 000 job cuts in Britain.

The retrenchment exercise on Tuesday was done “very discreetly”, with those impacted receiving an email notifying them of a “one-on-one” meeting, &nbsp, said an employee who was laid off on Tuesday and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The room will have a HR representative there. Unfortunately, reason given ( was ) the job is redundant, and we need to pack our things and prepare to leave”, the employee said. &nbsp,

” We wo n’t know who was called into the room… ( I ) saw lots of envelope”.

Those laid off were from the manufacturing and procurement departments, said another employee who also spoke to CNA anonymously. On Tuesday, both parties are unsure how many employees were let go.

One of the employees claimed that Dyson had previously conducted a round of layoffs in Johor Bahru, where it has a development center. Given how the company had announced it was increasing its investments in Singapore, Tuesday’s retrenchment exercise was unexpected.

” People are shocked and have low morale, as they are n’t sure when their turn might come”, said the employee, adding that it came as a” surprise”.

A Dyson spokesperson responded to inquiries from CNA with the following statement:” We constantly change the composition of our teams and take steps to ensure we have the right skills in the right places. Our goals in Singapore remain the same, and we anticipate that we will continue to expand there in the near future.

The company did not respond to other inquiries regarding the number of employees who were laid off on Tuesday, the types of job positions that were eliminated, and why, as well as how the company is assisting those who were impacted.

Continue Reading