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Entire saga timeline:
https://mothership.sg/2023/01/teen-shamed-charles-keith-luxury/
https://mothership.sg/2023/01/zoe-charles-keith-meet-lunch/
https://mustsharenews.com/takagi-ramen-teen/
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/charles-keith-bag-teen-sponsorships-2088761
https://mothership.sg/2023/03/zoe-charles-keith-model/
So I first noticed it when I was scrolling through my reddit homefeed and I came across an /r/askSingapore posts asking about their thoughts on the Zoe Gabriel situation
However, the post was deleted but luckily an archive was available
Anyways, the important part of the post was this
But recently, a lot of videos are popping up saying that she isn't as "poor" as she claims she is. Dior products, Louis Vuitton handbags, grand piano, aircond in her room, a family trip to Dubai; it's something that strays away from the "poor" narrative that she painted. Some online heroes stood up for her by saying," poor means cannot go overseas meh maybe save up eh" "You so kepo for what let her be". But some had that "oh, interesting" moment. Depends on how you perceive it.
So anyways, I tried to do some digging but nothing came up: reddit threads, news articles, YouTube videos, all nothing.
But, I managed to find a thread on edmw talking about her
Going to the last page, an article from Malaysia in mandarin was posted 'exposing' her:
https://www.mopress.io/gossip/olej2ZXYej
List of all items she bought:
Dr Marten boots:
Toy plushies, reportedly 19 of them+Clothing and shoes from brands such as Uniqlo, H&M, Cotton On, Melissa and Off-White
Limited edition Pandora Harry Potter accessories and a Ravenclaw book set:
Trip to Dubai in 2019:
Nike shoes back in March 2022:
Air Jordan:
Diorshow iconic overcurl mascara:
Apparently she was deleting comments from users that were calling her out:
All related media:
The 2 videos that started it all:
Followup video:
Instagram post of her visiting C&K HQ:
https://instagram.com/p/CnT-0ViB64F/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Ramen shop sponsors her family with vouchers:
American model Wisdom Kayle takes notice:
https://x.com/modsiwW/status/1613218192452714496?s=19
She responds
https://x.com/zoeaaleah/status/1613301929521872904?s=19
Goes on news interviews:
Meets the mayor of Philippines:
First effort post here so please be nice
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r/hingeapp: Feeling disheartened from dates that didn’t work out
30F here from Singapore. Been on 2 dates with 2 different people since Nov’22. I’d consider myself to be above average in terms of looks and intellect, always polite and genuinely nice (till people give me a reason not to be) . I know a lot of you might say c’mon you can’t be serious, 2 dates are too little to be discouraged, just get out more and meet more people, etc…
I guess I’m just jaded from being through more than a handful of failed relationships before and I’m starting to lose hope that I’m never gonna find my person before 35 or even 40. I get one shouldn’t put a timeline on these things but I can’t shake the feeling that time and youth are running out for me. I’m so very afraid and feel utterly alone in this, partly cos I don’t have a lot of friends either.
I’m very selective with who I match with/swipe on, so I know what I want - someone who can connect with me emotionally, intellectually and physically. I’m looking for an Asian guy (swear I’m not being xenophobic, it’s just a physical preference) who is westernized in their thinking but there are not many of such men in Singapore. One of the guys I dated was an Asian-American and he ghosted me... He did ask me out for a second date but I couldn’t make it, I did propose an alternate date but he just pretty much ghosted me after that.
Sigh. Does anyone else feel me? :(
// EDIT: I just wanna thank every single one of you who have taken the time and effort to pen down your advice, encouragement and experience. It really means a lot to me and I’m grateful for all the kindness and support here. :’)
r/AskSingapore: Dating as a local female (31yo) in SG
Hey everyone!
So I just started downloading a dating app back in Nov last year and so far have only gone on two dates with two different ppl. Both didn’t work out but will go into it later on. The last time I’ve used dating apps was back in 2020 and I don’t rmb the dating scene being this difficult? Maybe it’s always been like this but I just got lucky or, well, unlucky since my last r/s didn’t work out ha.
A little bit of content on my background: I don’t wanna come off as bragging but from feedback from friends and exes, I’m considered to be a good catch in terms of looks + intellect + character . I’m honestly polite and genuinely nice to people (until they give me a reason not to be). Think of me as the girl who got catfished on a date but still stayed till the end ‘cos I felt bad leaving halfway. Over the past ten years or so of getting in and out of r/s, the periods when I was single were shorter than the periods when I was attached. Since my last r/s I really looked back and reflected on myself and I think my biggest problem back then was that I jumped into r/s after r/s too fast, and also that I might be too trusting of guys in the sense that some ppl tend to show the best/carefully constructed false image of themselves during the first few dates but later on relaxed and revealed how they really are like after we got tgt (or maybe they just got lazy lol). It could be that I have a bad judgement of character too, idk. So this time I told myself I’m not gonna lower my standards, have patience in dating and getting to know someone really well. Right now this is actually the longest period of time I’ve been single.
So now I’ll go into the two dates I’ve gone on:
Date 1) Dinner + drinks date with a non-local and went on to have dessert + another round of drinks after. Date went well and spanned over like 5 hours. He showed a lot of interest in me, mirrored body languages and mild body contact like moving closer to me all that stuff. He asked me out for a 2nd date following week, I couldn’t make it so I proposed an alternative date and he said he’d lemme know how his following week looks but he never did. So I checked in with him and I got slow ghosted after that lol.
Date 2) Quick dinner + movie date with a local who’s lived overseas and just came back not too long ago. We chatted almost daily for a mth before he asked me out. I knew it was a bad idea if you don’t meetup after 1-2 weeks max of texting cos you’d tend to form a fantasy/ideal image of the person as time goes on and they’d often not come to meet the expectations when you finally do meet up in person. But I really didn’t wanna ask a guy out so I waited. Turned out to be a super awkward date with no chemistry.
I’ve since downloaded 2 more dating apps and it’s not looking so good either so I’m feeling quite jaded and honestly afraid I might really end up being alone forever lol. I always heard that ladies have a better shot at dating or have an abundance of guys to choose from but I’m having a difficult time finding guys I’d like to swipe on whom I have even a little bit of interest in. I’m not sure if it’s cos I’m older so I’m pickier or is the dating scene really bad now?
It’s been a long post but I’d really love to find out and hear any ladies’ (and guys’) dating experiences in SG!
Love happens at any age. I found the one I want to grow old with at 40. Before that I was just dating very casually.
Don’t worry too much and enjoy life. Don’t think that you have a deadline to meet.
Also - pls don’t settle just cos of your age. I’ve settled before and it didn’t turn out well.
The whole world kept telling me to settle cos of my age and looks but I ignored them.
Yeah I’m not gonna settle cos of my age. Likewise, I’ve settled before and I just wasn’t happy… Just hope my patience and resilience in finding my person one day pays off.
Now that you are older , you don't have the same dating power as your 20s self , therefore you aren't able to pull the high standard men that you were going for in your 20s.
This could be a possible reason.
Or maybe you are just aiming too high?
Eh pls la ppl can have the same market value or more in their 30s if they have their s- together.
Last time as a broke 20-something I could only work out in the park, now a decade later when I have more disposable income, I can get gym memberships and laser treatments. (I am married and therefore off the market but I still need to keep my eligibility so that my husband doesn't get - too - comfortable 😂)
| Eh pls la ppl can have the same market value or more in their 30s if they have their s- together.
guys, yes. girls? rolling on the floor laughing emoji
if you genuinely believe that a early to mid 20s girl with a tight young body is going to be less attractive to a guy than a lady in her 30s who attempts to recapture her youth with gym memberships and laser treatments, you are delusional. a guy with options will never choose someone who has to fix her face with laser over someone who is simply younger and doesn't need to do that.
you are lucky you are off the market because the only person who might think you have the "same market value" as 10 years ago is your husband. if you get divorced now and try again on the dating market, you will be so sorely disappointed i guarantee you.
Big yikes. I think you have deep rooted issues if you spend your time attacking other redditors for being in happy relationships and telling them how difficult their life would be if they weren't married. Please get help.
how did i "attack" you for being in a happy relationship? what i commented on was about your delusion, your over inflated sense of your own "value" in the dating market. not your relationship. when people feel "attacked" by something when there was no such intention, it's usually because deep down they know it's the truth.
Well this certainly answers a lot of questions regarding your relationship status. Have a nice day.
not every guy is as desperate as your husband to settle. have a nice day yourself :)
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Barber bro is on vacation and it’s getting warmer so a thick head of hair was not ideal
Decided to get a haircut anyway since I’m going to fly to ladyboy land soon and it’s even hotter there
Picked the cheap option, went there and was told that I needed to download their app
Amazed that they had a skip the queue option that cost as much as the hair cut
Felt bad for the 2 boomers in the shop trying to install the app because 1 of them failed and left and Singapore’s weather is a human rights abuse
- 8
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The Singapore prime minister's office admitted on Wednesday that it should have "been clearer" on plans to use data collected by its COVID tracking program from the onset, and that allowing the data to be used in police investigations had affected public trust.
The comments were made in a 92-page white paper titled Singapore's Response to COVID-19: Lessons for the Next Pandemic.
"The TraceTogether (TT) programme faced slow adoption initially, and suffered a setback with the disclosure that TT data could be used for criminal investigations following earlier reassurances that the data would only be used for contact tracing," explained a government statement accompanying the release of the white paper.
Prior to January 4 2021, the government assured the public that "data will only be used for COVID-19 contact tracing. Any data shared with [Ministry of Health] MOH will only be used solely for contact tracing of persons possibly exposed to COVID-19." It later emerged the data could legally be used for criminal investigations.
The white paper paper also revealed that the use of the TraceTogether, paired with national digital visitor registration system SafeEntry, "ultimately helped reduce the time needed to identify and quarantine close contacts from four days to less than 1.5 days." Combined use of the two was eventually required for entry to shopping malls, hospitals and other public spaces.
"This shows that beyond developing the technology, we have to integrate the technology well with operational plans, and to tackle adoption challenges," according to the paper.
The document draws on a review conducted by now retired chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Peter Ho, as well as reviews from ministries and other government agencies.
"After three years battling the COVID-19 pandemic, things have finally returned to normal. It is timely to take stock and learn from the experiences we have been through," the review opens. It ultimately warns the lessons learned should not be considered as a template for future pandemic management, but instead an account of how pandemic-era decisions were made and the outcomes that followed.
The paper's conclusion is that Singapore should make better use of digital technology in the next pandemic, going beyond the life sciences.
"Central structures that were set up to coordinate our data and technology needs, such as the Smart Nation Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and GovTech, should have been activated earlier to integrate digital solutions with ground operations, to speed up the rate of adoption of these solutions during the crisis," suggested the document.
Siloing of data across institutions created a problem, as time was wasted preparing and merging datasets to monitor the outbreak. The government said it would invest in data engineering capabilities and interoperable systems across agencies so that data from multiple sources could be more easily fused together.
However, the paper warned of the potential cyber security risks associated with such actions and inherent to reliance on digital cowtools. The city-state thus needs "agile structures that can assess trade-offs and make fast decisions on project implementation issues."
Those structures include technology teams, security, operations, communications, and policy experts "as early as possible in the design stages." ®
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In January 2023, a 17-year-old teenage girl was publicly shamed for considering Charles & Keith as a luxury brand.
In what seems like a fairytale ending, the teenage girl is now one of the models in the brand's campaign.
In January 2023, a 17-year-old teenage girl was publicly shamed for considering Charles & Keith as a luxury brand.
In what seems like a fairytale ending, the teenage girl is now one of the models in the brand's campaign.
Those online may know Zoe Gabriel, or more commonly known as zohtaco on TikTok, as the girl who drew internet fame after she posted a video of her on the social media platform unboxing "her first luxury bag" that her father bought for her from Charles & Keith.
Naysayers were quick to call out Zoe, saying that Charles & Keith was not a luxury brand, but the internet soon came to her defence after she shared that her family did not have much when she was growing up.
After catching wind of Zoe's story, the brand reached out to her, inviting her to their headquarters to have lunch with the founders.
She also became the proud owner of several more Charles & Keith bags.
The teenage girl most recently became one of the faces of Charles & Keith's 2023 International Women's Day.
On Mar. 4, 2023, Zoe shared a photo of herself on Instagram, posing with Charles & Keith's Alia Chain-Strap Crossbody Bag — one of the brand's best-selling bags — in purple.
Purple, as well as green and white, are the colours of International Women's Day, which falls on Mar. 8.
To mark the occasion, the teenage content creator and Charles & Keith brand community ambassador also penned a handwritten note:
"Women are like flowers: Our time and needs to grow may not always align, but that is okay.
We are like fields of poppy and lakes of lotus — diverse and bold in our differences, beautiful in our own ways.
This International Women’s Day, let us celebrate with compassion. Let us celebrate with equality through equity, the way flowers do."
Would people be interested if I made a separate post on the controversies surrounding her?
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"This was partly due to the Tiger year in the Lunar calendar, which is generally associated with lower births among the Chinese," Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Indranee Rajah said in Parliament on Friday (Feb 24).
aren't you married @X (formerly chiobu) ? get to work your country needs you
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https://old.reddit.com/r/SingaporeRaw/comments/118wlfw/landlords_bear_all_the_risks/
There has been a rising tide of unjustified hatred against landlords. I bought my first condo at 22, with help from my parents. I bear all the risk and have been providing upkeep for the property over the past four years. With rising interest rates and taxes, I have been forced to increase my monthly rental from $3000 to $4500 for my tenants when I renewed their contract. Despite this, I am only making a slim monthly profit. Tenants should understand that there is no free lunch in this world. We are all hustling to make a living. Young Singaporeans need to do better and be more resilient.
*Edit: you can downmarsey me, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m speaking the truth
https://old.reddit.com/r/singaporefi/comments/118wr3d/landlords_bear_all_the_risks/
Hahaha, you didn’t even make it to uni. You’re automatically at the bottom rung of society. Day trading means you need to constantly worry about the market, and you know that one wrong trade is all it takes for everything to start crashing down.
I have 2K from my property and 8K from my SWE job per month. If I sell my property now, I will make 220% gain in 3 years without having to worry about the market. Not to forget that I have another 810K in blue chip and AAPL equities parked away generating dividends, thanks to my parents :)
?
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SINGAPORE - The number of outrage of modesty cases jumped in 2022, with such offences at nightspots increasing from 21 cases in 2021 to 129 in 2022.
This was a 514 per cent spike from the 2021 figure as bars, pubs and clubs were allowed to resume nightlife operations in April 2022.
There were 1,610 outrage of modesty cases in 2022, a 9 per cent increase from the 1,474 cases recorded in 2021, said the police in releasing the annual physical crime statistics on Thursday.
In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, there were 1,605 molestation cases.
Of the 1,610 cases in 2022, 938, or more than 58 per cent, involved offenders known to the victim. They included colleagues, friends and family members, said the police.
Molestation cases accounted for 8 per cent of total physical crime cases in 2022, said the police. They attributed the increase to more people returning to public entertainment venues following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
In 2019, there were 104 such cases at nightspots.
In January, the "smart clubbing" campaign was revived amid concerns over an increase in molestation cases and fights in and around nightlife spots in 2022.
Organised by the police, the year-long campaign aims to reduce such crimes by urging nightlife outlets and patrons to adopt safe clubbing practices.
The first two iterations of the campaign took place in 2018 and 2019.
The number of molestation cases that occurred on public transport also rose by 9 per cent -- from 163 cases in 2021 to 178 in 2022 -- which the police attributed to more commuters using public transport.
The police said any information on a suspect’s appearance, attire or height would be useful in investigations.
They said: “Victims of outrage of modesty are advised to make a police report as soon as possible, as reporting such crimes early is crucial in helping the police identify and arrest the perpetrators.”
Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said one of the biggest reasons such crimes occur, especially in a nightclub, is disinhibition.
She said: “When someone is under the influence of alcohol and sometimes even illicit drugs, they may be disinhibited, have poorer self-control and be a bit more impulsive.
“So, if they see someone attractive and the lights are dim, they think there is no accountability and want the thrill of getting away with it. That’s probably when the crime may happen.”
On how such incidents can affect victims, Dr Chow said: “The fact that it happened without their consent and against their will may have a larger impact on them than the actual act itself.
“It can be difficult for them to accept that, at that point, the ability to give consent was robbed from them.”
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SINGAPORE: The wearing of masks on public transport as well as some healthcare and residential care settings will no longer be mandatory from Monday (Feb 13), when Singapore also steps down its disease alert to the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday that it will however retain the practice of mask-wearing for visitors, staff and patients in settings where there is interaction with patients as well as in indoor patient-facing areas.
These include hospital wards, emergency departments, consultation rooms and waiting areas, pharmacies, clinics and nursing homes.
This will be an MOH requirement rather than mandated under COVID-19 regulations, to better protect patients and healthcare workers from infectious diseases in general, the ministry said in a press release.
Should someone be in a hospital area not related to the "delivery of care" - such as a cafeteria or car park - mask-wearing is not mandatory, MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak clarified at a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force (MTF) press conference on Thursday.
"Hospitals will look at their operational requirements, the setting and see whether or not there are opportunities to lighten up and minimise that burden of mask wearing in those settings," he added.
"So it is a more refined policy position, but the base principle of requiring mask-wearing in care areas still remains."
MOH said it would still encourage members of the public, especially the elderly and immunocompromised, to wear masks in crowded places or when meeting vulnerable people.
Those with symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory infections are also strongly advised to wear a mask when leaving their homes, said the ministry.
Since April last year, Singapore has also maintained a Yellow status - the second lowest tier - under its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) framework.
From Monday, it will move down to code Green - putting COVID-19 in the same category as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the H7N9 bird flu strain.
MOH said in its press release that this was due to the mild nature of the disease especially among vaccinated individuals, and the minimal disruption posed to healthcare capacity and daily lives.
It was three years ago when Singapore first raised its DORSCON level to Orange in February 2020 and implemented mask-wearing requirements in April 2020.
At present, Singapore's COVID-19 situation has remained "stable" in recent months despite increased travel over the year-end period, the Northern Hemisphere winter season and China's shift from a zero-COVID policy, said MOH.
The local population in Singapore has also developed a high level of hybrid immunity and is well protected from severe COVID-19, it added.
"We are now ready to take the next step in our journey towards living with COVID-19, and the transition to an endemic COVID-19 new norm," said MTF co-chair and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong.
"It does not mean there will be no more COVID-19 infections ... but we can now live a normal life while remaining vigilant."
MOH also announced that the MTF, convened in January 2020 as a whole-of-Government response to COVID-19, would be stepped down.
MOH will take over management of the COVID-19 situation. But if the situation worsens significantly, the Government will reactivate an appropriate multi-agency crisis management structure.
REMOVAL OF COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
MOH also said it would stand down, from Feb 13, Protocols 1-2-3 - which determine what individuals should do if they are unwell or test positive for COVID-19.
Under a new general advisory, medically vulnerable persons that have Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) symptoms, as well as persons with severe, prolonged or worsening ARI symptoms, should see a doctor.
Those with mild ARI symptoms should stay at home until symptoms resolve.
If there is a need to go out while symptomatic, or if asymptomatic but positive for COVID-19, individuals should exercise social responsibility by minimising social interactions, wearing a mask and avoiding crowded places, said MOH.
The ministry also announced the stepping down of contact tracing tool TraceTogether (TT) and the SafeEntry (SE) digital check-in system.
Members of the public can uninstall their TraceTogether App, and companies may do the same for the SafeEntry (Business) App.
A TraceTogether token return exercise will take place from Feb 13 to Mar 12, and members of the public can return their tokens at counters at all 108 Community Clubs or Centres (CCs).
"Over the past few months, as the pandemic situation stabilised, the Government has progressively stepped down TT and SE," said MOH.
"We no longer require infected persons to submit TT data, SE data is no longer being collected, and MOH has deleted all identifiable TT and SE data from its servers and databases."
At the same time, MOH said it was "useful" to keep both systems ready for reactivation in the event that new, more dangerous variants of concern emerge. For this purpose, registration details such as names and mobile numbers will be retained in the system, said the ministry.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who also co-chairs the MTF, said that there would be a "comprehensive" after-action review of how the pandemic was handled in Singapore. A report will be published, and it will be debated in Parliament in due course, he added.
"The journey to this point has not been easy. We've had many ups and downs, we've had to deal with many unexpected curveballs and surprises along the way," said Mr Wong at what he later said was officially the last MTF press conference.
"But we managed to reach this point together because we all did our part."
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For 20+ years the Singapore Malay/Muslim community is successful in countering extremist ideology. Measures include licensing/regulation for asatizahs (teachers of Islam) + sermons/material to clarify misconceptions + religious counselling for radicalised Muslim Singaporeans + looking out for those at risk. That is why Singapore not yet kena terrorist attack compared to the communist threat in 1960s.
I think this success made Singaporeans complacent about extremist ideology which can also come from other groups:
Many Christians in Singapore kena influenced by Trump like ideology (like the Indian boy who plan to attack mosques).
Many traditional Chinese in Singapore kena brainwashed by China propaganda.
Some liberal Singaporeans (usually with more economic privilege) are becoming more radical and polarising.
Some Malay/Muslim Singaporeans are getting tired of community efforts to counter extremist ideology. More are feeling alienated from wider Singapore society.
There are many possible factors for the slight increase in extremist ideology in Singapore:
Impact of pandemic on Singapore society + social cohesion. For example, increase in racism against Chinese in 2020 then Indians during Delta. Many elderly forced to rely on digital media despite limited technical skills + limited media literacy (easily misled by fake news).
Impact of pandemic + inflation (also housing crisis) pushed many poor families to breaking point. To see rich Westernised Singaporeans enjoying life + elitism rubs salt into the wounds.
Extremist recruiters/influencers become smarter to use same psychology tricks as scammers + take advantage of existing fault lines in our society (like language barriers) + target most vulnerable.
Extremism from any group adds to mistrust/insecurity in other groups which can add to extremism in other groups leading to a vicious cycle/multiplier effect (not sure of correct term).
Only a small percentage of Singaporeans believe in extremist ideology and among them only a small percentage will resort to violence. But if the above trends multiply the small percentage by 3 (example number) that can be the difference leading to hate crimes/first successful terrorist attack.
True stories of two people I know who are affected by extremist ideology (details vague to protect identities):
A close friend from secondary school + his family are traditional Chinese but when they invite me to their place they serve halal food + his parents (Chinese educated with limited English) talk to me in Malay. During Covid his parents start to use Chinese social media a lot for news/music/movies + buy cheap stuff. His mother passed away due to Covid. While he + family are greiving (so burning more but still try to be responsible) kena conflict with another Chinese family over their burning. Then got financial/legal stuff to settle (like insurance/will) but the father don't know how (all in English) and tried to get help on Chinese social media. The father read a lot of China propaganda then kena brainwashed. He keeps telling his children he would support China to attack Singapore to kill all the jiak kantang Singaporeans who want to destroy Chinese culture + keep traditional Chinese Singaporeans in poverty. Even asked my friend to shoot jiak kantang Singaporeans during NS. Friend/siblings don't want to report him because he was a great father for many years + they scared they kena starved if he kena arrested.
A cousin (we grew up together) with special needs who is intelligent but naive + quiet. Pandemic dashed his family's (and mine) hopes of escaping poverty (his therapy also kena disrupted). He recently completed mainstream education (kena bullied a lot) but struggling to find job due to poor economy + racial discrimination + special needs challenges. He spends most of the time on the computer. Few months ago he shared in family Whatsapp group screenshots of LGBT supporters here insulting people who oppose LGBT rights as r-slurred + comparing them to ISIS. When I found out he surfs a lot of extremist material I told his mother but she said better not report. She thinks with his condition he is not able to carry out any attack + police will not be able to handle him properly. She will try to find an asatizah familiar with special needs to talk to him but is not high priority compared to day to day economic survival.
Hope we can take the threat seriously + have a rationale discussion about how to counter extremist ideology.
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SINGAPORE: Amid a global situation more uncertain and challenging than any period since its independence, Singapore continues to believe in the need for many major countries to participate in the region, to achieve a balance of power, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Sunday (Feb 5).
But as a small nation, Singapore must also put its interests first and not let other countries - big or small, no matter how friendly - dictate what it does, he added.
"Our policies, whether they are foreign policy or domestic policy, must be for Singaporeans to decide. Nobody else."
In a speech delivered at the Hokkien Huay Kuan Spring Reception 2023, Mr Shanmugam laid out Singapore's approach to survival in the face of a "difficult" international situation spanning Russia's invasion of Ukraine; the threat of US-China conflict in the Asia-Pacific; and widespread protectionism.
Many of these complex challenges bubbled over in 2022 and this year the situation is not much better, he said, pointing to the most recent US-China row which culminated in the Biden administration shooting down on Saturday what Beijing called an "airship".
"We just saw how a balloon - the Chinese say it is a weather balloon, the Americans say it is a spy balloon - shot down, set back US-China relations," said Mr Shanmugam.
A direct confrontation between the superpowers would have a "catastrophic" global impact; just as there could be "terrible and unpredictable" consequences should a cornered Russia resort to more dangerous weapons, the minister warned.
Trade, too, is being "weaponised", said Mr Shanmugam.
"The global multilateral system ... that has made us prosperous over 50 years to make our living, is now being undermined," he added, citing how countries are turning to on-shoring, friend-shoring of supply chains and at times outright protectionism.
"More countries are taking steps to prevent their own companies from losing out. Who is going to lose out? Small countries, like Singapore, which are part of the supply chain. We are going to be hurt very badly if this carries on."
"ACT IN OUR OWN INTERESTS"
On the geopolitical front, Singapore sees that it is safer for a small country to have many players in the region, instead of just one dominant power, said Mr Shanmugam.
He cited Singapore's strong ties with the US, China and Europe alike.
"Some big countries in the region say that only Asian countries should be involved in Asia," he said.
"We are a small country, we take a different view. Big countries may not like our view, but we hope we can agree to disagree."
As a small country, Singapore has to be clear on its principles, Mr Shanmugam said.
"We must ... never be afraid to act in our own interests. Uphold our principles and positions consistently, impartially, objectively."
He gave the example of how Singapore decided against tightening COVID-19 restrictions on travellers from China, when several countries decided to do so after Beijing ditched its strict zero-COVID policy in December.
But Singapore's experts assessed that the country's healthcare system would not be stressed and so no changes were made to border rules for the Chinese.
"There was some criticism, but we do what we thought was right. Just because other countries moved against China doesn't mean we follow suit. We do what we think is right," said Mr Shanmugam. "So far, the call was correct."
The number of imported COVID-19 cases from China is now fewer than five a week, and Singapore is in a position to increase the number of flights to and from China, he added.
"Why did we make this decision? Not because we wanted to please China, but based on medicine and science and experts," the minister said.
"Sometimes, the steps we take may look like it is more aligned with one country; other times it may look as if we are more aligned with another country, but actually, we are always only aligned to one country - Singapore, ourselves and our principles.
"The consistent message is: We act, always, based on what is in Singapore's interests and our principles-based approach," said Mr Shanmugam.
"Globally, our message to others, everyone, must be: Singapore is different; Singapore knows what it needs to do; and more importantly, that we have the courage and will to do the right thing for Singapore."
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https://mustsharenews.com/man-sues-woman-trauma/
Back in 2016, Mr Kawshigan met Ms Nora Tan and the pair became friends.
But in Sep 2020, they found that they were misaligned in how they saw their relationship and problems arose.
Mr Kawshigan saw Ms Tan as his ‘closest friend’ while she only saw him as a friend.
Following this, Ms Tan asked that they interact less but this displeased Mr Kawshigan.
Ms Tan then emphasised the need for boundaries, advising him to be “self-reliant”.
In October of the same year, Mr Kawshigan issued her a letter of demand threatening legal action due to “monetary damages arising from negligent infliction of emotional distress and possible defamation”.
Ms Tan then tried to reason with him. In a text message, she said her “discomfort” was genuine.
Mr Kawshigan replied that she could either comply with his demands to pursue a romantic relationship or suffer “irrevocable” damage to her personal and professional life.
Things remained unresolved and Mr Kawshigan’s counsellor asked Ms Tan to join their sessions.
Hoping it will help him come to terms with her decision not to deepen their relationship, she agreed.
This kept the pair out of the court for a year and a half. However, even after, Mr Kawshigan could not accept her decision.
Ms Tan then felt the sessions had become futile and stopped attending them.
In Apr 2022, Ms Tan started harassment proceedings against Mr Kawshigan.
Mr Kawshigan responded to this with a text message alluding to a potential claim against her that would “make her (your) liability worst”.
The pair then went through discussions on steps to better align their relationship.
But after much back and forth, Ms Tan ultimately decided to cease communications with Mr Kawshigan on 14 May.
According to ST, she could no longer handle his requests for increased interaction and his inability to respect her personal boundaries.
S’pore Man Sues Woman For ‘Emotional Trauma’ After She Rejects His Requests For Increased Interactions
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Another S$22,000 court claim was previously struck out for being 'groundless'.
By Sabrina Seng - 1 Feb 2023, 12:25 pm
Man Sues Woman For Trauma Caused By Rejection Of Improving Relationship
After getting rejected by a woman he wanted a romantic relationship with, a man in Singapore, Mr K Kawshigan, sued her for S$3 million on the basis of ’emotional trauma’.
man sues woman trauma
Mr Kawshigan also filed a S$22,000 magistrate’s court claim for allegedly breaching an agreement to improve their relationship.
But this was struck out by the State Courts who found his claim ‘groundless’, reported The Straits Times (ST).
Man threatens legal action after woman rejects him
Back in 2016, Mr Kawshigan met Ms Nora Tan and the pair became friends.
But in Sep 2020, they found that they were misaligned in how they saw their relationship and problems arose.
Mr Kawshigan saw Ms Tan as his ‘closest friend’ while she only saw him as a friend.
Following this, Ms Tan asked that they interact less but this displeased Mr Kawshigan.
Ms Tan then emphasised the need for boundaries, advising him to be “self-reliant”.
In October of the same year, Mr Kawshigan issued her a letter of demand threatening legal action due to “monetary damages arising from negligent infliction of emotional distress and possible defamation”.
Ms Tan then tried to reason with him. In a text message, she said her “discomfort” was genuine.
Mr Kawshigan replied that she could either comply with his demands to pursue a romantic relationship or suffer “irrevocable” damage to her personal and professional life.
Man cannot accept woman’s rejection
Things remained unresolved and Mr Kawshigan’s counsellor asked Ms Tan to join their sessions.
Hoping it will help him come to terms with her decision not to deepen their relationship, she agreed.
This kept the pair out of the court for a year and a half. However, even after, Mr Kawshigan could not accept her decision.
Ms Tan then felt the sessions had become futile and stopped attending them.
In Apr 2022, Ms Tan started harassment proceedings against Mr Kawshigan.
Mr Kawshigan responded to this with a text message alluding to a potential claim against her that would “make her (your) liability worst”.
The pair then went through discussions on steps to better align their relationship.
But after much back and forth, Ms Tan ultimately decided to cease communications with Mr Kawshigan on 14 May.
According to ST, she could no longer handle his requests for increased interaction and his inability to respect her personal boundaries.
On 7 Jul 2022, Mr Kawshigan filed a S$3 million High Court claim against Ms Tan.
He alleged that her remarks and negligence led to “damage to his stellar reputation” and he suffered a loss in earning capacity.
Mr Kawshigan also factored in costs incurred in rehabilitation and therapy programmes to overcome the “trauma, depression and impacts”.
ST reported that Ms Tan then obtained an expedited protection order against him. She also engaged lawyers to file her defence and counterclaim to the lawsuit.
Later on 27 Aug, Mr Kawshigan filed another S$22,000 court claim for alleged breach of the steps to better align their relationship.
He claimed that this caused his earning capacity as an “active high-capital trader by night and a busy CEO by day” to be negatively impacted. It also led to him needing “deeper psychological assistance”.
Court documents show that Ms Tan applied to strike out the claim.
State Courts deputy registrar Lewis Tan found that the claim was “groundless and without foundation”.
He said it amounted to an abuse of the court process and stuck it out earlier in January.
Mr Tan went on to say the court will not be an accessory to Mr Kawshigan’s calculated attempt to compel engagement from Ms Tan.
The High Court lawsuit pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 9 Feb.
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SINGAPORE – A self-radicalised 18-year-old student was detained in December 2022, after he made plans to take part in armed violence in Singapore and abroad in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Muhammad Irfan Danyal Mohamad Nor had plans to stab and kill non-believers in dark alleys here, carry out a mass-casualty attack at the Amoy Quee Camp by recruiting a suicide car bomber, and construct a C4 explosive device to bomb the Keramat Habib Noh grave site at Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque in Tanjong Pagar.
The teenager also intended to declare Coney Island an ISIS wilayat (province) in the hope that it would be recognised by ISIS as an official affiliate of the terrorist group.
He was arrested by the Internal Security Department (ISD) a few days before he planned to take the bai’ah (pledge of allegiance) to then ISIS leader Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Quraishi at the weekend of Nov 12, 2022, wearing his National Cadet Corps (NCC) uniform and a self-made ISIS flag and headband.
ISD said on Wednesday that Irfan is believed to have acted alone and had not radicalised others. His family members were not aware of his attack plans or intention to take part in armed violence overseas.
The teenager began getting radicalised in 2020 after coming across YouTube videos by foreign extremist preacher Zakir Naik. After watching many of the preacher’s videos, Irfan watched videos of other foreign extremist preachers such as Ahmed Deedat.
He also participated in online discussions where he was exposed to ISIS propaganda and developed an interest in ISIS and admiration for the mujahideen (fighters) featured in videos.
By late 2021, he started taking photos of himself in a ski mask, with his index finger raised to represent the concept of tawhid, mimicking the ISIS fighters he had seen online. The tawhid hand sign, symbolising the Islamic theological concept of the oneness of God, has been appropriated by terrorist groups like ISIS.
Muhammad Irfan Danyal Mohamad Nor started taking photos of himself in a ski mask, with his index finger raised to represent the concept of tawhid, mimicking the ISIS fighters he had seen online, by late 2021. PHOTO: INTERNAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
From late 2021, Irfan wanted to live in an Islamic caliphate governed by syariah (Islamic law) and establish an Islamic caliphate in Singapore. He also wanted to recruit Muslims to join the caliphate.
On Aug 9, 2022, he planted a flag he had designed – based on the flag of the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organisation in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – on Coney Island.
He claimed this symbolised the start of his own caliphate, which he named the “Islamic State of Singhafura”, on Singapore’s National Day and uploaded pictures of the flag on his social media to encourage others to join, said ISD.
The self-made flag planted by Irfan on Coney Island. PHOTO: INTERNAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
By October 2022, he wanted to travel to Nigeria to participate in armed violence with the Islamic State in West Africa Province. Irfan said he was prepared to die fighting on the battlefield, believing that he would achieve martyrdom that way.
He also saw Iraq, Syria, or Marawi in the southern Philippines as alternative destinations for armed violence and made online searches for flights from Singapore to these locations. He planned to travel to them after he had saved enough money.
In the meantime, he planned to demonstrate his support for ISIS by filming a video of himself taking the ba’iah on Coney Island. He understood the bai’ah to mean that he would have to comply with instructions from ISIS, including conducting attacks in Singapore, even if it meant being killed in the process.
“Irfan believed that it was his religious obligation to spread ISIS’ radical ideology. He planned to upload his video to various social media platforms to galvanise support for ISIS, and to recruit an ISIS army of between 100 and 500 fighters to assist him in conducting attacks in Singapore,” said ISD.
This led to the teenager planning the three attacks in Singapore.
He bought a knife from a convenience store in August 2022 and planned to stab and kill people he regarded as “disbelievers” by ambushing them in dark alleys and taking their belongings as war spoils for his ISIS army. These “disbelievers” included non-Muslims, Shi’ite Muslims and Sufi Muslims.
Irfan bought a knife from a convenience store in August 2022 and planned to stab and kill people he regarded as “disbelievers”. PHOTO: INTERNAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam told the media during a press conference at Masjid Khalid in Joo Chiat Road on Wednesday: “At the point of arrest, he was determined to commit violence. He is, in our assessment, likely to have carried out a knife attack at some point... We assessed him to be an imminent security threat. That is why he was arrested.”
On his plan to attack the Amoy Quee Camp, where the NCC headquarters is located, ISD said he had been inspired by ISIS car-bomb videos and wanted to recruit a suicide bomber who would bomb the gate of the camp.
He then intended to lead his ISIS army to attack the guards using weapons like axes and knives, and steal the firearms from the guardhouse in the camp.
In his third plan of attack, Irfan downloaded a C4 bomb-making manual online, intending to construct a homemade explosive to flatten the Keramat Habib Noh grave site as it was decorated and not at ground level, which he believed was “un-Islamic”.
The C4 bomb-making manual downloaded by Irfan online. PHOTO: INTERNAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
At the time of his arrest, Irfan’s attack plans against Amoy Quee Camp and Keramat Habib Noh had not progressed beyond the ideation stage, said ISD.
“The case also underscores the trend of youth radicalisation seen in recent years, and the threat of lone-actor attacks against soft targets, using simple, easily accessible weapons,” it added.
In March 2021, it was reported that a 20-year-old full-time national serviceman who planned to use a knife to attack and kill Jews here, and to take up arms abroad, had been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Earlier in January 2021, it was reported that a 16-year-old Singaporean student was detained after the authorities uncovered his plans to attack two mosques and kill worshippers in Singapore on March 15, 2021 -- the second anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks.
ISD said 16 people are currently detained under the ISA.
Singaporean Imran Mahmood, 44, was released from detention and placed on a restriction order in January. He had been detained in January 2019 for harbouring the intention to travel to Syria to take up arms and fight alongside ISIS.
The public was reminded to stay vigilant to signs that someone around them may have become radicalised. Those who suspect a person has been radicalised can contact the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline on 1800-2626-473.
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I went to the supermarket today, which I hate because the probability I see a poor person rises to one, and there were huge adverts for Tiger beer, supposedly Singapore's number one pure malt beer.
Apparently it's sold by Heineken, which doesn't bode well honestly I don't really associate Asians with good beer either.
Anyway, is it good?
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Kyle Rittenhouse doing too much pic.twitter.com/jV7oOh9efk
— Hegemone 🪐🐐 (@ignayshusloyola) January 25, 2023
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