@X im sowwy

@TracingWoodgrains @kaamrev

SINGAPORE – Every Singaporean household can now claim $300 worth of CDC vouchers to help them alleviate daily expenses.

Half of the vouchers can be used at supermarkets, and half at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants. They are valid until Dec 31, 2025.

A total of 1.33 million households will benefit from this sixth tranche of CDC vouchers, which can be used at 23,000 heartland merchants' stores and hawker stalls; and eight supermarket chains, with about 400 outlets involved.

The latest tranche of vouchers is part of enhancements to the Assurance Package to help cushion the impact of cost-of-living increases. The first half – $300 in CDC vouchers – was disbursed in June 2024.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong attended the launch of the vouchers at Marine Parade Town Centre on Jan 3, along with Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who is an MP for Marine Parade GRC.

The event was hosted by the five mayors – Ms Low Yen Ling, Ms Denise Phua, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman.

In his speech, Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, said the launch is one of the first events in 2025 by the Community Development Councils to kick off Singapore's diamond jubilee, or SG60, celebrations.

The CDC vouchers are one of the key initiatives in the Government's efforts to help households manage cost-of-living challenges, he said.

The scheme was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to show appreciation to Singaporeans for their solidarity during those difficult times, and to support businesses. It was continued post-pandemic to help Singaporeans cushion the impact of rising prices.

In 2024, each Singaporean household received $800 worth of vouchers, with a tranche of $500 in January and $300 in June.

As at Dec 31, 2024, about 97 per cent of Singaporean households have claimed the CDC vouchers for the year. Of these claimed vouchers, more than $1 billion, or 97.5 per cent, has been spent at participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets.

Overall, around $1.6 billion has been spent since the launch of the digital CDC vouchers scheme in December 2021 – $907 million at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and $689 million at participating supermarkets.

"Thankfully, inflation has cooled in recent months and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, is expected to go down further," said Mr Gan.

He added that core inflation in 2024 is expected to average about 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent, down from more than 4 per cent in 2023. Core inflation is expected to ease to 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent in 2025.

"Even though prices may not be rising as fast, we understand that Singaporeans remain concerned about cost of living," Mr Gan said. "We have taken several measures to address these concerns and we stand ready to do more to support Singaporeans."

He added: "Our strong Singapore dollar enables us to mitigate increases in the costs of imported goods and services. We work with businesses to drive productivity and innovation, so that Singaporeans can continue to have good jobs with better wages."

At a doorstop interview with the media after the launch, Ms Low, who is Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth, said a total of $1.008 billion has been claimed for the 2024 vouchers.

Of this figure, $500 million was spent at heartland merchants, while $508 million was used at supermarkets.

About two-thirds of the amount that went towards heartland merchants, or $331 million, was spent on food and beverage, including at coffee shops, cafes and hawker stalls.

Another $72 million was spent at heartland minimarts and the remaining $95 million went to other trades such as salons and stationery shops, said Ms Low, who is also chairman of the Mayors' Committee and Mayor of South West District.

Mr Gan said various measures to cushion the pace of price increases for individuals and households have been rolled out too.

For example, as part of the Assurance Package, all adult Singaporeans received up to $600 in cash in December 2024.

In January, eligible households will get additional U-Save rebates to help with their utility bills, and rebates for their service and conservancy charges.

Mr Gan said the community and the private sector – including merchant and heartland associations, schools and volunteers – have come forward to support efforts such as the CDC vouchers scheme.

Coffee shop operators have been included as participating merchants for the scheme, he added. To date, there are about 600 coffee shop stalls that provide budget meal options and accept CDC vouchers.

"The positive impact of the CDC vouchers scheme is a good showcase of what we can achieve by having the public and private sectors working together," he said.

As the nation celebrates SG60, the Government, community and businesses can continue to find ways to work together to take Singapore forward, he added.

To mark SG60, some participating supermarkets, heartland merchants and hawkers are offering promotions for the use of the vouchers. For example, some heartland merchants and hawkers will provide additional discounts or gifts for customers who use CDC vouchers at their stores to help Singaporeans stretch their dollar.

Supermarkets such as Cold Storage, Giant, FairPrice and Prime Supermarket will also be running in-house promotions for customers using CDC vouchers.

Human resource professional Victoria Ng, 36, said $300 is a "considerable sum" and will help families with rising costs of groceries and food.

"It's good that more places are accepting CDC vouchers, including hawker centres, hair salons and neighbourhood stores," she said. "More people will also be inclined to spend at neighbourhood stores, which is a win-win situation for both customers and merchants."

How to claim your vouchers

Singaporean households will receive a notification letter by mail with instructions on how to claim and spend their CDC vouchers. Similar to previous tranches, only one household member needs to visit go.gov.sg/cdcv and log in with his or her Singpass to claim the digital vouchers on behalf of the household.

Once the vouchers are claimed, the claimant will receive an SMS with a unique voucher link sent from "gov.sg" to the person's registered mobile number. This link, which is different from those of previous tranches, can be conveniently shared with other household members.

Those who face difficulties with the digital process can seek help at community centres or clubs (CCs) and SG Digital Community Hubs. There will be priority queues at CCs for seniors and people with disabilities.

Help will be provided for residents without smartphones or those who need help setting up Singpass accounts or resetting passwords.

Over the first two weeks of the launch, close to 450 youth and student volunteers from institutions, such as Institute of Technical Education College Central, Republic Polytechnic and St Joseph's Institution, will assist residents at selected CCs alongside CDC ambassadors.

SG Digital Office's digital ambassadors and Silver Infocomm wellness ambassadors will be stationed at CCs to help residents claim their digital vouchers from Jan 3 to 16.

Residents are reminded to guard against scams. Claiming the CDC vouchers does not require any involvement with bank applications or transactions. Those who encounter any suspicious messages relating to gov.sg or CDC vouchers can contact the People's Association on 6225-5322, or submit the information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness or call 1800-255-0000 to make a police report.

More details on January's CDC vouchers scheme can be found on https://vouchers.cdc.gov.sg/

Because it's expensive.

https://old.reddit.com/r/SingaporeRaw/comments/1ho7syy/help/

!asians @Bardpinged

https://old.reddit.com/r/malaysia/comments/1gxygf7/42yearold_msian_man_to_become_first_person_in/

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — A father of five became the first individual to be publicly caned inside a mosque in Terengganu for repeat khalwat (close proximity) offences.

The punishment was carried out at the Al Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque earlier today, according to a report published today in Kosmo Online!

Mohd Affendi Awang, 42, received six strokes of the cane in the presence of Marang Prison deputy director, Mohd Irwan Awang.

Wearing a red prison uniform and a face mask, the carpenter remained calm and composed throughout the caning, which lasted approximately two minutes.

The punishment was carried out with Mohd Affendi standing and facing away from a table, in accordance with Section 31(a) of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment (Amendment) 2022.

The caning was administered by a male officer from the Marang Prison Department on the lower back of the offender.

Earlier, Mohd Affendi arrived at the mosque in a van and underwent a medical examination conducted by a medical specialist at 2.30pm.

A total of 70 individuals, including media personnel, were permitted to enter the mosque hall to witness the execution of the punishment.

Previously, Mohd Affendi was sentenced to six strokes of the cane and fined RM4,000 or six months' imprisonment in lieu of the fine by Senior Syariah Judge Kamalruazmi Ismail.

The sentence was handed down on November 20 by the Terengganu Syariah High Court for his third khalwat offence.

According to the charge, Mohd Affendi was accused of being in the company of a 52-year-old woman who was neither his wife nor a close relative (mahram), thereby raising suspicions of immoral conduct.

The incident occurred at a house in Pengkalan Ranggon, Kemaman, at 1.40am on June 16.

He was charged under Section 31(a) of the Syariah Criminal Offenses (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment (Amendment) 2022, which provides for a punishment of up to six strokes of the cane, a maximum fine of RM5,000, or up to three years' imprisonment for repeat khalwat offences.

The enactment came into effect on January 1.

!nooticers this is when you don't have the first amendment

https://archive.is/NVASP

Singapore's ultra-rich are increasingly cloaking their purchases of mansions in the city-state in secrecy, to avoid drawing attention to their wealth and social status.

The market for exclusive, multimillion-dollar houses called Good Class Bungalows has heated up this year in the Asian financial hub. At least S$1.1 billion ($819 million) worth of deals were inked from January to early December, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News and List Sotheby's International Realty, a luxury residential brokerage.

Close to half of those bungalow purchases, as measured by value, didn't include legal filings known as property caveats that make the transactions widely known. Deals without caveats are much harder to track because they don't show up in a database maintained by Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority. They usually become public through press leaks and directed searches of local real estate ownership records.

More individuals are also acquiring Singapore mansions using shell companies or trusts that help keep their identities private. Some buyers now require brokers to sign non-disclosure agreements that bar them from divulging owners' identities and other details, according to people familiar with the transactions.

The ability to buy Good Class Bungalows is a privilege the government affords only to citizens and a small number of foreigners who have received approval from Singapore's law minister. Soaring prices for these luxury homes and the mystery around some recent buyers have raised questions about whether there should be more transparency around the ownership of the highly coveted assets.

It is also a sensitive issue for locals, because Singapore has granted citizenship to wealthy migrants who are paying large sums for private properties.

"There are more and more buyers who prefer to be low profile," said William Wong, founder of Realstar Premier Group, a property agency specializing in bungalows.

That's especially been the case after a S$3 billion money laundering scandal erupted last year and drew attention to how some China-born Singapore residents were staying in mansions that they rented for as much as S$150,000 a month. Ten money launderers have since been convicted, jailed and deported. Wong said buyers of high-end homes don't want to be unduly scrutinized, and would rather keep their purchases under the radar.

Surging Prices

There are about 2,800 Good Class Bungalows in land-scarce Singapore, where nearly 80% of households live in public high-rise flats. GCBs generally have plot sizes of at least 1,400 square meters (15,069 square feet) and are all located in prime residential areas.

The median sale price of a GCB has nearly doubled from 2019 to about S$36 million this year, according to Bloomberg's calculations. Historically, most individuals who buy Singapore mansions have lodged property caveats, which protect the buyer's interest in the asset and prevent others from poaching it before the sale is completed.

Most of the biggest transactions in 2023 and 2024 didn't have caveats. The largest completed deal this year was a S$84 million purchase of a bungalow in April by Xiang Yangyang, the daughter of Chinese nickel billionaire Xiang Guangda, Bloomberg News reported earlier. The property's previous owner had paid S$37.6 million in 2020 for the 2,612 square meters of land on which the mansion sits, in an enclave called Bin Tong Park.

Less than a mile away, a pair of GCBs on adjacent plots on Belmont Road were sold for S$131 million, according to property filings. The deals were reported by a local newspaper in July.

One plot was purchased by Jennifer Tzelee Teo, a 48-year-old naturalized Singapore citizen originally from China. The other property was acquired by a trust that also listed Teo's name, although the beneficiary wasn't disclosed.

Teo is the wife of billionaire Zhang Lei, the China-born founder and Chairman of Hillhouse Investment, according to people familiar with the matter. Her legal name used to be Zhao Li, and she changed it after becoming a Singaporean, according to public records reviewed by Bloomberg News. In Singapore, Teo is a common way to romanize the surname Zhang.

Zhang is also a naturalized Singaporean, and he owns a condominium near Singapore's main shopping belt Orchard Road, property records show.

Singapore citizens have to pay an additional 20% tax on their second local residential property purchase, and 30% on subsequent purchases. If a spouse or other family member buys the property, this so-called "additional buyer's stamp duty" would not be incurred. Some parents have also been known to purchase homes using a trust structure for children under the age of 21, the minimum legal age to own a private property in Singapore.

"We have noticed a growing interest from Chinese buyers in Good Class Bungalows in recent months," said Mabel Tan, a senior partner at law firm Joseph Tan Jude Benny LLP who heads its property and conveyancing department, especially for undeveloped land to customize the property. In some cases, she said, buyers are exploring purchases with the "anticipation of obtaining Singapore citizenship in the very near future."

Wong of Realstar said Chinese migrants are also "very willing to pay premiums for the properties they like," especially since the assets are mostly of freehold status — unlike in China — and are still cheaper relative to similar assets in the prime locations of Hong Kong.

Non-Caveated Deals

Among the non-caveated transactions was a S$57 million purchase completed in April of a nearly 1,770 square meters Dalvey Estate property by Anthony Tjajadi, the founding partner of Singapore-based investment firm Trihill Capital and a descendant of an Indonesian family.

In October, the wife of failed crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital's co-founder Su Zhu sold a mansion for S$51 million to Chrispianto Karim, who also hails from an Indonesian family that owns a palm oil conglomerate.

Last year, Singapore's Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng bought a Good Class Bungalow in another enclave called Brizay Park for nearly S$27.3 million. Also in 2023, Wang Qianqian, a China-born Singapore citizen, paid S$50 million for a Holland Rise mansion that had been owned by Mah Bow Tan, a former minister who once oversaw public housing in the city.

Some countries have sought to uncloak the secrecy of the rich, with mixed success. To combat money-laundering and discourage secrecy, the UK introduced new rules in 2022 requiring offshore companies that own UK properties to disclose their ultimate beneficiary. Individuals also have to pay higher taxes if they use such structures to buy homes rather than purchasing them directly under their own names.

In New York, where many wealthy individuals have used limited liability companies to buy luxury apartments, a bill meant to create a public database of shell companies' owners in real estate deals ended up being watered down, with access granted only to law enforcement agencies.

Singapore imposes a 65% tax on residential property purchases using trusts. It has to be paid in cash upfront, and citizens can seek a refund in some cases.

In September, an online media outlet reported that UBS Trustees had bought a bungalow from Singapore's law minister, K Shanmugam, in the Queen Astrid Park area for S$88 million. The transaction was inked more than a year ago in August 2023.

The property has a land area of nearly 3,171 square meters. The purchase was done on behalf of an entity called the Jasmine Villa Settlement, according to property filings. Its ultimate beneficiary's identity couldn't be established.

The sale of the property, originally bought for S$7.95 million in 2003, has become political fodder. An opposition party leader, Chee Soon Juan, questioned how the bungalow's recent valuation was determined and who the new owner is.

In response to a parliamentary question in October, Singapore's second minister for law Edwin Tong said that no trusts with foreign beneficiaries have been approved to purchase GCBs since 2019. In addition, no foreigners have bought such homes since 2021. The Singapore Land Authority, a statutory board under the law ministry, does not collect general data on landed residential properties acquired through trust companies if the beneficiaries are Singapore citizens.

In essence, that means that property agents and other service providers involved in the transactions are primarily responsible for verifying the identities and source of wealth of Singaporean mansion buyers.

"The problem with opacity is the fallout from public perception is much worse than the actual problem," said Alan Cheong, executive director of research for Singapore at real estate consultancy Savills Plc, referring to the increasing number of property deals that don't have caveats.

The risk is that "things may go out of control if there are no checks and balances," and it would be better if all private property deals are subject to mandatory disclosure rules, he added. "Singapore has prided itself as being a very transparent and open economy, so it should continue to hold on to the ideal."

Only posting because of the most stereotypical grammar in one of the comments:

Draw only so angry?

Don't even know if they are kicking shit out of MY or SG but oh so funny if it's their own infrastructure.

Lee Kuan Yew on how he stamped out ‘Third World Behaviour’ in Singapore

“[We told them] stop spitting, stop littering … you can’t go around peeing everywhere as you did in the old squatter villages” pic.twitter.com/HnjW9qcxRz

— ɖʀʊӄքǟ ӄʊռʟɛʏ 🇧🇹🇹🇩 (@kunley_drukpa) December 19, 2024

Elevator pissers, it's over

!football

!football

Worst singapore at it again

Singapore (and many other countries) are going extinct https://t.co/YORyakBynm

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2024

SINGAPORE - As the streets of Little India near Desker Road burst into life at around 9pm on Nov 30, the noise drowned out the hum of small machines hovering above.

Two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, were being operated covertly by police officers from a nearby vantage point overlooking the rows of shophouses lining the streets.

On the ground, a quiet back alleyway nestled between a bustling eatery and a provision store had been cordoned off by the authorities.

The drones were being deployed by the police in an anti-vice raid led by the Central Police Division.

The media was invited to observe this on the sixth and last day of the operation.

It saw a total of 194 people arrested for employment and drug offences, offences under the Women's Charter and possession of weapons. Four others are being investigated for forgery and cheating offences.

On Nov 30, a shophouse in Little India was raided, and seven men aged between 23 and 61 were arrested for suspected vice activities at the unit, located just a few minutes' walk from a neighbourhood police centre.

Six of the men were dressed in women's clothing.

One man, believed to be a caretaker, was arrested for employing foreign employees without a valid work pass. The six other men were arrested for working without a valid work pass.

As a team of officers breached the shophouse's door, four UAV pilots from the Aerial Response Team operated two drones from above.

The UAVs had thermal imaging sensors to detect heat signatures, so officers could see if any suspects tried to flee from the rooftops.

To aid ground officers, the drone operators could relay real-time information on people's movements at all entry and exit points of the shophouse.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Esther Koh, head of operations at Central Police Division, said the drones were effective in complementing the urban operations.

The shophouse's entrance and exit were through a dimly lit back alleyway. The back door to the brothel was lit up with a faint red fluorescent bulb.

The front door was shuttered, while the windows were covered with plastic sheets.

Inside, pink and purple lights and safe-s*x posters greeted visitors.

The first level of the three-storey shophouse held eight service rooms partitioned by thin plaster walls. Each room was big enough to fit only a small makeshift bed and a wash basin on the floor. Used condom packets were found in many rooms.

A potty, kitchen and six bedrooms, partitioned by thin plaster walls, were on the second floor. The corridors were wide enough for only one person to move through at a time.

The seven men nabbed lived on the second floor. Each room could accommodate a single bed, a wardrobe and side table.

The living conditions inside the shophouse were spartan, with only basic amenities like ceiling fans available.

All seven were whisked away in a police vehicle.

The police have been using drones during their operations.

On New Year's Day 2023, they deployed drones at the Marina Bay area to keep tabs on crowd size and movement.

The drones had speakers to broadcast sirens and public safety messages, including instructions on what to do in an emergency.

Drones will also be used to deal with terror situations.

On the anti-vice raid, DSP Koh said: "We will continue to conduct such enforcement operations and those engaging in unlawful activities will face stern actions in accordance with the law."

!chuds !asians

@Turkeyvann youtube embeds give an error

The one beside is called a Michael Jackson because it's soy milk + grass jelly which is sort of a white and black drink combination lol

!chuds !trump2024

The CoCane Store

!chuds What a fricking r-slur "hmm today I shall damage vehicles where there are cameras all around"

https://old.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1gw7m8j/nus_student_allegedly_deflated_tyres_of_five_cars/

SINGAPORE - A man who allegedly deflated the tyres of five cars at two multi-storey carparks in Woodlands was charged on Nov 21 with being a public nuisance.

Benjamin Chia Yit Loong, 23, purportedly committed the offences between 10am and noon on Nov 19 at the multi-storey carparks at Block 517A and Block 519A Woodlands Drive 14. He also allegedly placed fliers on the windscreens of the five vehicles.

Charge sheets state these acts caused annoyance to the public.

Police said on Nov 20 that a car owner alerted them when she found the tyres of her vehicle deflated at one of the carparks.

Chia was arrested within eight hours. Preliminary investigations showed that at least four other vehicles nearby were similarly damaged.

According to a photo of the flier that was left on the vehicles, the acts were purportedly carried out in the name of a climate activist group that is against the use of sport utility vehicles. This is believed to be the first case in Singapore linked to the group.

Chia has been remanded at Woodlands Division and attended court proceedings through video-link on Nov 21. The bespectacled and bearded man was clad in a blue T-shirt and handcuffed.

A police prosecutor requested that the case be adjourned for investigations, and added that Chia would likely face more charges.

His lawyer Anil Sandhu said Chia is a student at NUS and it was now the exam period. Mr Sandhu asked for the next mention of the case to be after his client's exams. The lawyer added that Chia's parents were in court and would bail him out.

Chia asked if he could say something about the adjournment period, to which District Judge Lorraine Ho said he could speak to his lawyer. Judge Ho set his bail at $5,000, and his case will be heard again on Dec 9.

An NUS spokeswoman told The Straits Times on Nov 21 that it takes a serious view of student misconduct, including criminal offences committed off campus. The university will take the necessary disciplinary action following court proceedings, she added.

If convicted, Chia can be jailed for up to three months, fined up to $2,000, or both.

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