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Over 150 queue outside Orchard Road store for Uniqlo’s new collection with fashion designer Jil Sander

aseanpr 20 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Uniqlo's launch of its latest clothing collection designed with German fashion designer Jil Sander attracted long queues at its flagship outlet in Orchard Central on Friday (Nov 20). About 160 people were seen queueing up at around 10.30am before the store opened at 11am. The +J Fall/Winter 2020 collection marks the second time Uniqlo has collaborated with Ms Sander since 2009. Mr Calvin Ong, who was the 25th person to join the line when he arrived at around 9.30am, said: "I have waited for around a decade for the return of this collaboration, her clothing is usually very expensive." The fashion consultant in his late 40s, who bought three shirts and two belts, chose to visit the shop because it was easier to gauge the size of the clothing in person. Each customer was limited to purchasing five items. People queueing outside Uniqlo's flagship outlet in Orchard Central for the launch of the +J Fall/Winter 2020 collection. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI A 26-year-old engineer who wanted to be known as Ms Feng took leave to queue up for the launch, which she had been anticipating since it sold out on Chinese online shopping portal Taobao on Nov 3. "My flatmate started queueing at ar...

NTUC nominates Union of Power and Gas Employees general secretary as next labour NMP

aseanpr 20 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Mr Abdul Samad Abdul Wahab, vice-president of the National Trades Union Congress, has been put up as the labour movement's choice for Nominated MP. The 48-year-old is also general secretary of the Union of Power and Gas Employees, which he first joined in 2003. He was elected as a union leader in 2006, and has held his current post since 2015. That year, he also became part of NTUC's central committee. He was appointed vice-president last year. In a statement on Friday (Nov 20), NTUC said Mr Samad has worked to forge strong labour-management relations over the years. It highlighted that he was instrumental in the formation of the Market Development and Resilience Scheme launched by the Energy Market Authority in 2018, which helped secure bonuses, increments and training funds for workers in the industry. An advocate for workers' training and skills upgrading, Mr Samad also played a key role in setting up company training committees with employers to implement training plans for workers in the power and gas industry. NTUC president Mary Liew spoke of him as an "experienced, caring and dedicated" union leader who understands the importance of tripartism in Singapore. "His...

Union meets Robinsons’ employees to discuss liquidation and give advice

aseanpr 20 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Current and former employees of liquidating department store Robinsons met union leaders from the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMU) this week to discuss the liquidation process and to receive advice on filing their outstanding claims. In a statement on Friday (Nov 20), the union said it has been engaging Robinsons' management and liquidators to give assistance to the affected workers, including those who have been retrenched. The SMMU also said that it would be attending the liquidator's meeting with creditors next week to represent workers' interests. On Oct 30, Robinsons said that it had decided to liquidate its Heeren and Raffles City stores due to changing consumer tastes and cost pressures such as rent. The Covid-19 pandemic played a part as well, it said. At least 11 former employees of the retailer have approached the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management for help after Robinsons announced its liquidation. Robinsons' parent company is the Dubai-based conglomerate Al-Futtaim Group, which owns other franchises in Singapore including Marks & Spencer and Zara. "In Robinsons' liquidation process, the SMMU's k...

Made With Passion: Brothers inspired by uncle’s home-made beers to set up 1925 Brewing Co

aseanpr 20 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - For brothers Yeo Eng Kuang and Ivan Yeo, the idea that inspired their successful microbrewery and restaurant business 1925 Brewing Co was first sparked at the family's dining table where they would gather every week. Years later, these fond memories of dinners spent sipping on their uncle's home-brewed beer and dining on authentic Teochew cuisine have spurred them to build and grow their business. The brothers named their business 1925 Brewing Co as 1925 was the birth year of the family patriarch Yeo Kim Ho, who was a dry goods grocer. "At the time, it was definitely a risky move. Our family was concerned, especially when the food and beverage business was so volatile," Mr Yeo Eng Kuang, 35, told The Straits Times. The business was founded by the Yeo brothers and their uncle Yeo King Joey back in November 2013. They were on Friday (Nov 20) one of the 48 pioneer recipients of the "Made With Passion" Singapore brand mark. The mark has been awarded to a selection of local lifestyle brands to highlight their strong connection to Singapore, as well as cast a spotlight on the stories behind these brands. In May 2014, the Yeo brothers first began restaurant operations in what ...

Made With Passion: Husband and wife team behind Bynd Artisan carries on 80-year home-grown legacy

aseanpr 20 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - For husband and wife Ms Winnie Chan and Mr James Quan, their brand Bynd Artisan is not only a labour of love, but also part of a long legacy that has spanned close to 80 years. The duo - who have worked together as co-founders and brand owners since 2012 - started the business as an experiential retail concept. But while customers might know the brand for its sleek, personalised notebooks and customised leather goods, few might know just how intertwined the company's brand is with a traditional craft business whose history spans decades. "It started with my grandfather, Mr Chan Koon Seng, who founded a small bindery workshop back in 1942. We've since drawn inspiration from the hand-designed, traditional book making methods and machinery we used back in the day, with the skills of our older craftsmen really taking centre stage (in our products)," Ms Chan said. Bynd Artisan was on Friday (Nov 20) one of the 48 pioneer recipients of the "Made With Passion" Singapore brand mark. The mark has been awarded to a selection of local lifestyle brands to highlight their strong connection to Singapore, as well as cast a spotlight on the stories behind these brands. For Bynd Artisan...

Emerging Stronger Taskforce outlines new collaborative approach to drive economic growth in a post-Covid-19 world

aseanpr 19 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A new "start-up" approach adopted by public agencies and the private sector working together on initiatives to drive economic growth may soon become the norm, with the Government keen on making this new agile way of collaboration more widespread. Members of the Emerging Singapore Taskforce (EST), convened in May to help chart a vision for the country and its industries in a post-Covid-19 world, said on Thursday (Nov 19) that this approach has seen the public and private sectors working alongside each other as partners - rather than as regulators and the regulated. They have also come up with prototypes even as the strategy is being worked out, instead of only moving when a direction has been set. Said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who chairs the Future Economy Council which the Taskforce comes under: "The emphasis is on taking quick action to prototype solutions and to concurrently explore ways to scale viable solutions across our economy and beyond." "In keeping with the spirit of Singapore Together, these efforts are led by industry leaders, working in close partnerships," he added, referring to the movement he and his fourth-generation colleagues launched las...

Spike in wrongful dismissal claims in Singapore in Q2

aseanpr 19 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - There was a significant spike in wrongful dismissal claims in the second quarter of this year, in tandem with the decline in local employment during that period. A total of 436 such claims were lodged under Section 14 of the Employment Act between April and June, compared with between 209 and 279 per quarter in the preceding four quarters, said a report on employment standards released on Thursday (Nov 19) by tripartite groups and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Many of the claims were lodged by employees who were unhappy over the abrupt manner in which they were let go, due in part to restrictions in face-to-face meetings during the circuit breaker period, and "there is no evidence that more employers terminated their employees unfairly to deny them of retrenchment benefit", said the report. Observers have expressed concern recently about the possibility of more disguised retrenchments, where employers terminate the employment of workers through other means to avoid paying retrenchment benefits. There were 69 claims for retrenchment benefits lodged in the second quarter, which is low, said the report by the MOM, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) and...

More Singapore employers investigated for possible discriminatory hiring practices

aseanpr 19 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - More employers are being investigated for possible discriminatory hiring practices, said a report on employment practices released on Thursday (Nov 19). The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), the national watchdog on fair employment, investigated about 260 cases of such practices in the first half of this year, 60 per cent more than the 160 cases in the same period last year. Some 90 employers eventually had their work pass privileges suspended due to discriminatory hiring practices as at August this year, up from 35 for the full year of 2019. This means the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) barred them from hiring new foreigners or renewing the work passes of existing foreign staff for a period of time. About 43 per cent of them were identified through data analytics as part of MOM's proactive investigation efforts. The remaining 57 per cent were identified based on complaints received by the ministry and Tafep, said an MOM spokesman in response to media queries. Errant employers that breach the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices will be barred from hiring new foreign workers or renewing existing ones for 12 months to 24...

Covid-19 paralysed 34,000 jobs in the Mice industry – these two Singaporeans are fighting back

aseanpr 19 11 月

11 minutes

The new year had got off to a good start for Mr Dylan Sharma. His wife was expecting their first child and his event management company was set to repeat its strong showing of 2019. Then things took an unexpected turn in late January. Each day brought more bad news of a mysterious viral plague, sending jitters around the globe that trickled down to Tricom Events, which he had set up in 2006 with a business partner, Ms Janice Swee. Singaporeans vs The Pandemic | In Unchartered Waters: The MICE Innovators They had been colleagues at another event company when Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) hit in 2003. “We were mindful that it could be a replay,” said Mr Sharma, 43. Since then, the seasoned event planners have weathered other shocks and jolts — the 2008 global financial crisis, the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, and the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak, for instance. But nothing could have prepared them for the scale of devastation that the Covid-19 pandemic has wrought. The day after Singapore raised its disease outbreak response alert to orange on Feb 7, worried clients called to cancel or postpone events lined up for February and March. The two battle-tested directors were concerned, b...

MAS unveils 2021 Year of the Ox coins, which feature Coney Island where bull roamed

aseanpr 19 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Collectors can now pre-order the 2021 Year of the Ox coins. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) unveiled the limited-edition coins on Thursday (Nov 19). The coins will be sold by The Singapore Mint, with the last day of pre-orders on Dec 20. Coins that are oversubscribed will be allocated by balloting, said the MAS. The 2021 coin features an ox against the backdrop of Coney Island Park, which the MAS described as "one of Singapore's ecologically sustainable parks with rich biodiversity". The obverse of each coin bears the Singapore coat of arms with the year 2021. A famed but elusive Brahman bull once roamed Coney Island until its death in September 2016. How the bull had found its way onto the island - connected by two bridges to Punggol Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6 - has remained a mystery. The National Parks Board first found it while in the process of setting up the 50ha Coney Island Park that opened to the public in October 2015. There will be 10 versions of the Year of the Ox coin that will be issued on Jan 1, 2021. PHOTO: MONETARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE There will be 10 versions of the Year of the Ox coin that will be issued on Jan 1, 202...

CPIB warns of fake documents sent on WhatsApp

aseanpr 18 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) has warned about fake documents circulating on WhatsApp claiming to be from the agency. In a statement on Wednesday (Nov 18), the CPIB said that it is aware that some members of the public had received such documents which indicate that certain bank accounts of individuals, companies and third parties will be frozen within 24 hours for investigation into suspected money laundering offences. They will then be asked to pay a fine. The CPIB said the documents feature images of its logo and possibly a sign-off by a CPIB officer. Members of the public should be on the look out for tell-tale signs which show the documents to be fictitious, including errors in spelling or grammar in them. Singaporeans should take the following precautions if they receive such documents: • Call the CPIB's hotline at 1800-376-0000 for assistance to verify their authenticity. • Do not remit or transfer any money for any transactions based on instructions given in or with the documents. • Do not give personal information and bank details to the sender. The CPIB said that it takes a serious view of the impersonation of public agencies for undesirabl...

Over 10 months’ jail for woman whose maid climbed down 15 storeys to escape abuse

aseanpr 18 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A woman who repeatedly abused her family's Indonesian domestic helper, before the victim fled by climbing down 15 storeys through a balcony, has been sentenced to 10 months and two weeks' jail. Between January and April 2018, Nuur Audadi Yusoff tormented Ms Sulis Setyowati, 24, multiple times, including by slapping her face and pulling her hair. In passing sentence on Wednesday (Nov 18), District Judge Ronald Gwee said that the physical and mental harm Nuur caused "speak for themselves". He also noted that Ms Sulis risked her life to escape the "torture". The judge said that a deterrent sentence was necessary to send a message that such acts of cruelty are not acceptable. The court heard that Nuur gave Ms Sulis more than $7,000 as compensation a few days ago. The 31-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty in September to six counts of assault. Nine other charges, mainly for similar offences, were considered during sentencing. At the time of the offences, Nuur was a Singtel employee deployed to support a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) contact centre. Ms Sulis started working in Nuur's Yishun flat in December 2017. Sometime after midnight the following month, Nuur was awakened by...

PSLE results to be released on Nov 25, students can collect from their classrooms

aseanpr 18 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results will be released on Nov 25. The Secondary 1 (S1) option forms to select secondary schools must be collected in person and will not be available online, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Wednesday (Nov 18). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, school candidates will collect their results from their classrooms instead of a school hall from 11am onwards. This decision was made to give students "the opportunity to be with their classmates and consult their teachers face-to-face on their next steps" when collecting their results, said MOE. Due to the younger age of PSLE students, a parent or guardian will be allowed to accompany their child or ward to school to collect their results. However, they will need to wait at designated areas in schools and observe safe management measures while the students receive the results in the classrooms. Those who are unwell or are on Quarantine Order, Stay-Home Notice or Leave of Absence on the day of the results release should not return to school to collect their results. Instead, they may view their results online on the Examinations and Assessment Board's (SEAB) results release syste...

Trade show on franchising goes virtual with 53 exhibitors and 77 international brands

aseanpr 18 11 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - An annual trade show that brings together the franchising and licensing community kicked off on Wednesday (Nov 18), going virtual for the first time in its 15-year history. Organised by Sphere Exhibits, the Franchising and Licensing Asia (FLA) exhibition will bring businesses, entrepreneurs and investors from countries such as China, South Korea, Japan and the United States. President of FLA Singapore Andrew Khoo said: "Having a virtual show opens up possibilities that never existed before. "We are no longer restricted by geography as the entire world is now the target audience." Some brands looking to expand their franchise network include European yogurt brand Yole, French contemporary furniture manufacturer Gautier and Singapore restaurant operator Tung Lok Group. This year's iteration has 53 exhibitors and 77 international brands participating. Businesses hail from the food and beverage, beauty and wellness and health and fitness sectors, among others. "Franchising and licensing are key modes of internationalisation that can help companies capture growth opportunities, expand and diversify revenue streams. "This is critical in making businesses more resilient to the...

Inbound travellers to Singapore can purchase insurance for Covid-19 related costs

aseanpr 18 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Inbound travellers arriving in Singapore can now purchase insurance coverage for Covid-19 related costs incurred during their stay here. Changi Airport Group (CAG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a joint statement on Wednesday (Nov 18) morning that three insurance companies have developed travel insurance products which provide at least $30,000 in coverage for Covid-19 related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs. The minimum coverage sum was decided based on recommendations by the Ministry of Health (MOH), which considered bills for Covid-19 treatment at private hospitals. The three companies providing insurance coverage are AIG Asia Pacific Insurance, Chubb Insurance Singapore Limited and HL Assurance. While AIG and HL Assurance have started selling their insurance products, Chubb's will be available from Nov 27. Under present rules, inbound foreign travellers entering Singapore through various safe travel lanes are required to bear the full cost of medical treatment, tests and isolation, should they be suspected of being infected with Covid-19 or require medical treatment for the virus while in Singapore. As such, the travel insurance plan will h...

Former director of NUS East Asian Institute had behaved inappropriately with subordinate: NUS

aseanpr 17 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS) has determined that a former director of its East Asian Institute (EAI) had behaved inappropriately with a subordinate by hugging her without her consent during a work meeting. In a statement issued on Tuesday (Nov 17), the university said that Professor Zheng Yongnian's behaviour "was inappropriate in a professional setting" and had breached the university's code of conduct for staff. He would have been given a written warning accordingly, but as Prof Zheng has left the university, NUS recorded the outcome of its internal review in its staff records, said the university. Various sexual harassment allegations involving Prof Zheng had surfaced in August and September on social media, with social media users, who identified themselves as NUS staff, accusing Prof Zheng of harassing them. In September, the academic, through his lawyers, categorically denied all such allegations, adding that his resignation from the university was unrelated to the allegations and complaint against him. The 58-year-old professor left NUS in September this year (2020) and is understood to have joined the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen as ...

STB investigating gathering alleged to flout Covid-19 rules at RWS hotel

aseanpr 17 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Another investigation has been launched over a possible breach of safety measures at a hotel at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Videos of a group of at least six women and a man were uploaded on social media on Sunday (Nov 15), when they allegedly held a party to celebrate the 33rd week of pregnancy of one of the women. Some of the women had uploaded several videos on Instagram, showing themselves play-fighting with pillows and clothes on beds. Social gatherings of more than five people are prohibited due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to queries from The New Paper on Monday, Mr Chew Tiong Heng, executive director of infrastructure planning and management at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said it was aware of the alleged incident and was investigating. "STB takes a serious view of any breach in safe management measures," he said. "Hotels are required to comply with all safe management measures, including ensuring that gatherings do not exceed five people if they are not from the same household." An RWS spokesman said it takes a serious view of non-compliance and requires all guests to be registered with the hotel front desk. Safe management measur...

More than 5,700 BTO flats launched in last sale exercise of the year, including 1,500 in Bishan

aseanpr 17 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE -A total of 5,795 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats have been launched for sale by the Housing Board (HDB) on Tuesday (Nov 17), in the final sales exercise for the year. These flats are spread across seven housing projects in five estates. The biggest housing project is Bishan Ridges, where 1,502 two-room flexi, three-room and four-room flats are on offer. The site in Bishan Street 14 is next to the Kallang River and about 400m or a five-minute walk from Bishan MRT station. Prices start from $374,000, without grants, for a three-room flat and $528,000 for a four-room flat. Prices are slightly higher than the 472 units in Bishan Street 11 launched in the August BTO sales exercise, likely due to its proximity to the MRT station. Prices of the flats launched in August started at $302,000, without grants, for a three-room flat and $484,000 for a four-room flat. The estimated completion date is in the second quarter of 2026, When The Straits Times first reported on the flats in Oct last year before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the estimated completion date was 2025. Besides Bishan, the other flats are spread across the mature towns of Toa Payoh (Bidadari) and Tampines, and the non-matu...

Jail, caning for ex-secondary school principal who molested 7 teenage boys

aseanpr 17 11 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The former principal of a secondary school who molested seven teenage boys on separate occasions at his workplace in 2017 was sentenced on Tuesday (Nov 17) to three years and eight months' jail. He will also receive seven strokes of the cane. The boys, who were between 13 and 15 years old at the time, were at-risk youths with family problems. They also had disciplinary records both in school and outside. The 48-year-old Singaporean offender had pleaded guilty in August to three counts of molestation involving three boys. Eight other charges for similar offences, including those linked to the other four boys, were taken into consideration during sentencing. Both the man and the school cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the boys' identities. The man ceased to be employed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) as of Jan 1, 2018. The court earlier heard that the boys were often called to the general office by the school's operation manager, to either serve their detention or be counselled and informed of disciplinary action. "Upon noticing a student... the accused would call him into his room to speak to the student. "At times, the accused would also inform the stude...

Global panel recommends Singapore’s hawker culture be added to Unesco list

aseanpr 17 11 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Hawker culture in Singapore had its chances of being inscribed as an official Unesco intangible cultural heritage boosted on Tuesday (Nov 17), with an expert body recommending to the official panel that it be put on the coveted list. An evaluation body comprising 12 experts around the world - appointed by the 24-member intergovernmental committee that will give the final verdict in December this year - said in a highly anticipated report that Singapore's application satisfied all criteria. The evaluation body recommended that hawker culture here be added to the official list. In the past, the final decision in December has not always adhered closely to what has been recommended by the evaluation body. However, The Straits Times understands that those which have been approved by the evaluation body are typically given the nod. The report recognised that hawker culture provides Singapore "a sense of identity and continuity for people across the generations and in a context of urbanisation". "It plays a crucial social role in enhancing community interactions, fostering an inclusive society irrespective of the diverse social, religious and ethnic backgrounds of its people,"...

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