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Music: "Sooner or Later" by Mat Kearney; Produced by Whirled Creative with Director Scott Chan.
According to this website, "Singapore -- Age of Consent": the legal age of consent for sexual activity is fourteen (14) years.
However according to this Wikipedia article, age of consent is increased to 16 years & alos that cases of underage sex are usually charged under the Women's Charter.
Confusing?
Well in the sickening case below, it is quite clear that the former secondary school teacher pleading guilty to having sex with his underaged student--who was 14 years old at that time.
(In addition to the maximum jail term of 10 years, I do wish the name of this sexual predator is revealed! Shame him publicly, please!)
Imagine (no, better don't), he did not use a condom for most of the encounters (which were more than 15 occasions!)! Shouldn't he be caned as well?!A former secondary school teacher pleaded guilty to having sex with his underaged student, claiming it made him feel "more of a man".
Currently unemployed, the 41-year-old was found guilty of five counts of underage sex with the girl, who was 14 years old at that time.
They had sex on more than 15 occasions within a two-year period from end 2007, at various places including a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) room of the school.
The teacher, who headed the school's design and technology department, was also in charge of the "Robotics Club" which the girl joined in 2006.
He asked the girl to be his girlfriend because he found her attractive.
The man, who was then married with a child, also bought her gifts when they were on school trips together to South Korea.
They started becoming intimate in the Robotics CCA room in the school by hugging and kissing each other.
He had sex with the girl the first time on a sofa bed inside the room.
This continued on several occasions in 2008 and the court heard that the teacher did not use a condom for most of the encounters.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy, who pressed for a jail term of between seven and 10 years, said "it was entirely fortuitous that the girl did not get pregnant".
The girl's age also came under scrutiny, with Ms Uthrapathy saying he had "preyed on her youth and vulnerability".
She added that the abuse of trust was a serious aggravating factor, and the teacher had also "violated the sanctity of the school" by committing the offences "very brazenly during the day."
The incident was only brought to light when his wife, who just gave birth to their second child, discovered text messages between the two in January 2010.
A few months later, she informed the girl's mother of the illicit relationship and a police report was made.
The court also heard that the teacher had harassed the girl over the phone, threatening to reveal the affair to her friends.
Ms Uthrapathy added that this caused the girl distress and recurrent nightmares, and she felt "trapped and traumatised".
The court also heard that the man did not express any form of guilt or remorse after committing the offence.
He was also observed to have acted normally by his wife and principals of his former schools.
But the court heard Friday that the man, who has no previous brushes with the law and received numerous awards during his time as a teacher, was remorseful.
He will be sentenced on January 17 next year.
If convicted, he could be jailed up to 10 years, fined or both.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Former teacher pleads guilty to underage sex with student".
A follow up to this post, "Gunshot heard in VivoCity; man found dead?!?!", the dead man was revealed to be a male Certis Cisco auxillary police officer. It's also said that 'no foul play suspected'. However I still categorized this post under a tag 'crime' as even if it's a suicide, I'd consider it as a crime.A male auxillary police officer was found dead in a toilet at VivoCity. He was found with a suspected gunshot wound.
A check with the police revealed that they had received a call at 6pm about a gunshot.
The Certis Cisco officer was found in a toilet located on the first floor, with the door of the cubicle locked from the inside.
A local media agency reported that the officer was found in his uniform, with a gunshot wound to his head, and his service revolver beside him.
He was pronounced dead by paramedics at 6.30pm.
The dead man has been identified as a 25-year-old Malaysian Indian, who had been working for the company for three years.
According to The Straits Times, the officer was on duty earlier at Citibank branch in the shopping mall, where he had been deployed as a security officer.
Police investigations are still ongoing.
From Asiaone, "Gunshot heard at VivoCity, Cisco officer found dead".Police said there's no foul play in the death of an auxiliary police officer at shopping mall VivoCity on Thursday.
The man was found dead in a toilet cubicle with a gunshot wound to his head.
Some shoppers at VivoCity were shocked, and spooked by news of the incident.
The 25-year-old Indian man from Malaysia was still in uniform when he was found within the locked cubicle, with his service revolver beside him.
"I'm a bit surprised that this happened in a shopping mall where there are a lot of people around," said one shopper.
Details have emerged about the guard, who worked for Certis CISCO for three years.
Auxiliary police officers are required to return their arms within two hours after they are off-duty.
The firm said he was off-duty at 5.00 pm.
An hour later, he was found dead in the toilet.
He was a relief security officer at Citibank for the day.
Citibank said it is "deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of the security guard" and will assist in police investigations.
But it declined to say if bank officers noticed anything unusual about the guard's behaviour.
Suicide prevention agency Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said there are signs to look out for when someone is in trouble.
SOS Deputy Director Tan-Lee Yoke Yin, said: "Losing interest in doing some of their usual activities... showing signs of being very withdrawn, just wanting to be alone. But what is important is to look out for is any unusual change in behaviour as well as physical changes."
SOS provides confidential 24-hour emotional support to people in crisis.
Police investigations for the case are ongoing.
From Channel NewsAsia, "No foul play suspected in death of Cisco officer".
And all you want for Christmas is...one of those hot Cebu Pacific dancing flight attendants, huh?
Hur hur. I understand the feeling.The dancing flight attendants of Cebu Pacific are back again, this time swaying to the tunes of Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You'.
The low-cost Philippine carrier gained famed last year by dancing to Lady Gaga on board flights to demonstrate emergency evacuation instructions to passengers.
This year, in time for Christmas, the airline has choreographed a two and a half minute dance routine in a bid to help passengers pay more attention to the safety demonstration.
A spokeswoman for the Manila-based airline, Candice Iyog, told the Associated Press: "Now that it's Christmas, we wanted to bring a little more fun into the flight."
A video of the routine shows four female attendants orange shirts and khaki bottoms dancing away on select flights.
However, the Cebu Pacific dance moves have not been well received everywhere in the Philippines when it took its first routine to the air. Local political leaders frowned upon it, saying the routine done in 2010 was "a cheap promotional gimmick" and was demeaning to women, reported AFP.
The airline then used male stewards to perform the original stunt done by females after it drew criticism from the local community.
Cebu Pacific is not the first airline to use its staff to attract the attention of passengers in unconventional ways.
Other airlines like Air New Zealand have also ran safety videos featuring dancing employees previously.
From Relax, "Dancing stewardesses make Christmas comeback".
Latest news which was just published tonight at about 2142 hrs. I sure hope there'll be more details of what happened. It's a mystery: a gunshot, and a man found dead in a toilet cubicle. A gunshot was heard Thursday evening in shopping mall VivoCity.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a dead man in a toilet cubicle on the first floor.
Police said they got the call around 6pm.
Channel NewsAsia understands the man could be an auxiliary police officer, as he was in uniform.
It is also understood the toilet cubicle was locked from the inside.
Forensic police are still at the scene.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Gunshot heard in VivoCity; man found dead".
Interesting! GV Katong Gold Class Lounge offers beefy burgers and Nonya flavours.
So check it out: GV Katong. 112 Katong, 112 East Coast Road #04-09 Singapore 428802.
Accessible with public bus 10, 10E, 14, 14E, 16, 32, 40.
And (perhaps) with the nearest Paya Lebar MRT station (and free shuttle bus to 112 Katong by the mall)
Back in the old days, the joke was that if you went to Katong, you'd see cinemas along the road, along with big, open carparks and people named De Souza.
Yes, there's no denying that, generally, when you mention Katong, you think of Katong laksa, then something Eurasian and, after that, everything Peranakan.
Which is why the new cinema multiplex GV Katong, housed in the refurbished shopping centre 112 Katong (the five-storey mall located at the junction of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road which enjoyed its soft launch last week), is kitted out in Peranakan-style decor.
Think shophouse motifs, flowery wallpaper and carpets, and decorative tiles. There's even a mini-showcase with a nonya kebaya displayed in it.
Heck, about the only thing Baba that's not there is an autographed photo of Dick Lee.
But Katongites, Katongnians, or whatever the Katong folk call themselves, don't really give two hoots about the fancy-schmacy theme.
They're cheering because finally - finally! - there's a cinema in the area since the closing of Marine Parade's Republic Theatre in the 1990s. And one with a GV Gold Class theatre, the first in the eastern part of Singapore, mind you.
For me, a Westie who lives in Holland V and who's not even an MParader, the opening of the cinema gives me a reason to visit Katong and soak up the atmosphere.
You see, I'm Jurassic enough to remember Katong as a kind of mini-Las Vegas Strip mall, in the good old days when neon lights shone, makan stalls abounded, the shophouses were busy, and drivers could park freely along the road without putting 100 coupons on the dashboard.
Then, people flocked to Odean-Katong, Roxy and Palace cinemas, all located in close proximity to one another.
I remember, as a kid in the back seat of my parents' car in the 1960s, the wide open spaces around the theatres and a shopping centre called Tay Ban Guan (Katongites called it TBG for short) which you had to walk through an alley to get to. The cake shop there had the best pineapple boat-shaped pastries and old-fashioned butter cakes.
Today, Katong has changed a lot. Things have fancied up. There's an Astons Prime within walking distance of 112. There are hip little eateries called Everything With Fries or Naive.
And at 112 itself, formerly Katong Mall (where nobody, not even Katongians went), you can find things like carrot-flavoured noodles in the food court.
Times, they are a-changing.
But Katong hasn't lost its flavour. Walking around, I felt that the laidback, easygoing, everyday-is-a-Sunday Katong vibe is still in the air.
Everyone seems to wear flip flops and the gals all seem to be friendlier and cuter than where I live.
I'm a movie fan, so I love travelling to far-off, exotic lands to see films. Especially to places so foreign that they don't even have MRT stations (or trains that break down) within walking distance. Marvellous!
Now, the joke about the coconut, the kebaya and the Katong dude with a guitar goes like this... Oh, never mind.
Come find me in the new theatre and I'll tell you about it.
From Asiaone, "GV Katong, from a Westie's point of view".After much anticipation from residents and tenants from in and around the Katong area, Golden Village (GV) Katong hosted its Gala Opening to a star-studded crowd last evening at the newly refurbished 112 Katong.
Graced by local Peranakan personalities and celebrities who have grown up around Katong, the Opening Gala marked a new milestone in the history of Katong - an area of Singapore associated with Peranakan culture and gastronomical delights.
Amongst the Peranakan personalities who were in attendance were the likes of iconic Peranakan stage performer, Mr GT Lye; Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage, Mr Alvin Tan; and popular actress and thespian, Ms Tan Kheng Hua, who was accompanied by her daughter.
Said Ms Tan, "The opening of GV Katong couldn't have come at a better time! We have been waiting for a cinema in this part of Singapore for the longest time and it's great to finally have a cinema so close to home, right in the middle of our favourite hangout. The Peranakan designs are also truly amazing; we never thought a cinema could look this way!"
Adding to the star-studded night were popular radio personalities Rod Monteiro and The Married Men crew from 91.3FM; as well as Glenn Ong from The Morning Express on Class 95FM who spent their teen years in the area during their time in Saint Patrick's School, just a stone's throw away.
Actress Melissa Faith Yeo, Melody Chen, and husband, Randall Tan also attended the celebrations. The couple especially, were dressed in full Nyonya and batik apparel, fitting in perfectly with GV Katong's Perankan-inspired décor.
The Opening Gala also paid tribute to many of the stakeholders that have, over the years, helped shape Katong into a bustling melting pot filled with local flavour and culture. Local a cappella group, Vocaluptous, entertained guests with two Peranakan songs.
Amongst the special invitees were representatives from the Peranakan Association of Singapore such as Mr Edmund Wong, the third generation owner of epicurean mainstay Kim Choo, who has served Nyonya rice dumplings in the area since 1945; as well as Ms Bebe Seet owner of Peranakan restaurant Rumah Bebe, who has served Peranakan cuisine in Katong since 1928.
Said Mr Peter Wee, the President of The Peranakan Association of Singapore, whose Katong Antique House has been around since 1979, "The opening of GV Katong brings back a long awaited and highly anticipated cinema entertainment for the Katong and Joo Chiat community."
"History has really come full circle and we are happy see such a nice addition to this area. The Peranakan décor in the cinema is also a nice touch, paying tribute to the Katong culture and heritage," added Ms Seet.
With the highly anticipated opening of GV Katong, the iconic cinema will fill the void of an anchoring cinema which has been left vacant for nearly 20 years.
Mr Jamie Au, 35, an 'East-sider' all his life was ecstatic at GV Katong's opening, "When my friends and I were younger, we used to frequent the Republic Theatre at Marine Parade, but that has since closed its doors. The opening of GV Katong will make a big difference in our lives. It's great that we don't have to travel too far even when we decide to watch a late movie on a whim."
Mr Kurt Rieder, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Village said, "GV Katong is delighted to be able to bring the cinematic experience back to the residents and community of Katong and JooChiat. We look forward to creating new memories with filmgoers residing in the East, close to home."
GV Katong has a total seating capacity of 921 seats, which includes 56 plush and super-luxurious Gold Class cinema recliners. Pioneering the concept of in-cinema gourmet dining, GV's signature Gold Class will offer a sampling of the much-acclaimed Peranakan cuisine, including Otak Samosas, Assam Fish with fragrant Basmati rice, Nyonya Kueh delicacies, in addition to Chef Chris Foo's signature Western dishes.
Keen movie-goers, who are interested to watch the latest movies at the brand new GV Katong are welcome to check the listings or log on to www.gv.com.sg for detailed screening times.
GV Katong is located at 112 East Coast Road, Level 4,112 Katong.
From Asiaone, "Peranakan-inspired GV cinema officially opens". (21/12/11)
Thanks Sandy for recommending the YouTube clip, "Shit Gays Say". Like what I said, I have NOTHING against gays, really.
I for sure have NOTHING against girls, either.
So (to play it safe), I'll include both of the hilarious clips:
Shit Girls Say - Episode 1
Shit Gays Say (Parody of Shit Girls Say - Episode 1)
First a disclaimer: this post is not sponsored by Prime Taxi. A free ride for a lifetime will be nice, though. Hur hur.
I just cannot resist not to blog about this particular taxi operator. Especially so because Prime Taxi is the only one which has not decided whether to raise its fares like the rest of operators.
So delete all other taxi operators' booking hotline from your phone, and register this no instead: Prime Taxi's Dial-A-Taxi @6778-0808.
I will strike off all the content above if Prime Taxi decided to succumb to its 'peer pressure'. Snigger.Trans Cab, Premier, Smart Automobile and Yellow Top have notified the Public Transport Council of their decision to raise their taxi fares.
Their move comes after ComfortDelGro and SMRT raised their fares last Monday and today respectively.
Trans Cab, Singapore's second largest taxi operator, will raise its flag-down rate from 20 to 70 cents, depending on the type of taxi, from Jan 3, 2012.
It will also revise its fees for taxi bookings, reducing it by 20 cents for some types of taxis, and increasing it from $8 to $10 for the Mercedes Benz taxis.
Like ComfortDelGro and SMRT, these four taxi operators will also extend the peak periods for which surcharges apply. Peak hours for Trans Cab will follow that of ComfortDelGro - 6am to 9:30am on weekdays, and 6pm to 12 midnight everyday.
The peak-hour surcharge will be lowered to 25 per cent of meter fare, down from the current 35 per cent of meter fare.
Premier, Smart Automobile and Yellow Top have yet to release details of their fare revisions.
The move by these operators leaves only one taxi company, Prime Taxis, which has not decided whether to raise its fares.
From Asiaone, "4 more taxi operators to raise fares".
Can't resist grabbing the above screenshot from Yahoo! today.
My comment is like what the manga (anybody can guess from which manga it is? Heh) below:
And like what I had once asserted, after she 'put EVERYTHING right', she should tender her resignation.
Yes. One can't help but being angry reading this Straits Times article, "Passenger accused of molesting SIA stewardess".
The accused is one Ukranian sales manager Sierkov Sergii who allegedly touched the buttocks of the 34-year-old stewardess twice and her breast once on board an aircraft last month.
I hope the Truth is soon out and not in form of some 'compensation'.
We need to hear the just punishment is meted out accordingly.
Of course assuming the accused is indeed guilty.
On the other hand, SIA should consider to make Kung Fu training compulsory for its stewardess--just like what Hong Kong Air has done. (Check out CNNGo, "Kung fu compulsory for Hong Kong Airlines cabin crew".)
A 54-year-old woman, Mdm Ding Weibo is in a coma after falling onboard an SMRT bus apparently due to a careless bus driver who had applied the brakes suddenly.
We're all looking forward to find out the action taken by SMRT against this particular driver. Hopefully (for others' safety too), he'll soon be demoted to be an ex-driver!!A 54-year-old woman is in a coma after falling onboard an SMRT bus on Sunday night.
It is believed that Madam Ding Weibo fractured her skull after hitting her head on a seat.
The bus driver had apparently applied the brakes suddenly.
Madam Ding and her daughter had just boarded bus service No. 167 at about 8pm at Orchard Road, near Heeren shopping centre, when the driver jammed the brakes.
Both made a grab for the handrails, but the force of the brake threw Madam Ding onto the floor.
She was sent unconscious to the Singapore General Hospital.
Her daughter, Ding Xiao Sui, told Channel NewsAsia that Madam Ding suffered internal bleeding, and had to have an operation.
She is still in critical condition.
The family plans to lodge a complaint against the driver.
Her daughter said: "I was so scared and panicked, I did not know what to do. I kept calling for her, but there was no response. She was fine in the afternoon, she was shopping, and now she is in this state."
In a statement, SMRT said: "We are sorry the incident happened and investigations are on-going. We will be in touch with the family..."
From Channel NewsAsia, "Woman in coma after falling onboard SMRT bus".
Yeah. Read the today article of STOMP, "Transport Minister spotted in the train during morning peak hour", and I find myself thinking, "Hey at least this guy is willing to humble himself to the rest of us commoners commuters!"
Unlike SMRT CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, right? Snigger, snigger.
Of course understanding the public outrage, one can assume that perhaps the lady CEO did try the train this morning as well under a heavy disguise.
Perhaps in black (like in the poster below? Hur hur) and with dark glasses too.
Note to self: I've got to check out the YouTube clip on the song, "I've never been to me" (The male version, performed by The Temptations). Heh.Hey mister, hey mister
I just want a dime
‘Cause I need a cup of coffee and a moment of your time
I can tell your raising hell the way I used to do
But I wish someone woulda’ talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you
I’ve been to Georgia and California
Anywhere I could run
I stole a woman in Tennessee
and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces
Because I had to be free
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me
Thanks mister, thanks mister
But please don’t walk away
‘Cause I have this need to tell you
Why I’m all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won’t you share a part of an old man's heart
On the day before he dies
I’ve been to China & Asia Minor
On any ship that would sail
I made some noise with some good old boys
We wrecked a southern jail
I’ve seen the best men crawl and some teardrops fall
There ain’t nothing I ain’t seen
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me
I’ve even been to marriage
Where children cry for someone they couldn’t find
Never knowing that I was searching
For things I left behind
I thought my heart could wait
but I learned too late
Only love can make people free
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me
Update: okay, found the clip. Apparently not really that popular, but still a nice song. At least for a comparison to the original, isn't it?
SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa is wrong! Being responsible means doing all she can to get the problem fixed, and then resign!
Even better, to show her sincerity, she should make it clear that while she's 'doing all she can to get the problem fixed', she's doing it without getting her salary. Donate the salary. That may perhaps demonstrate your sincerity better than just 'empty words', Ms Saw!
SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa has told Channel NewsAsia that she has no plans to step down over the disruptions.
She said she's truly sorry for the inconvenience and discomfort faced by commuters, and that as CEO she's naturally responsible.
But she said being responsible does not mean walking away, instead it means doing all she can to get the problem fixed.
She said she is staying put to make everything right.
Ms Saw also admitted there were several problems that surfaced during the disruptions.
These included detraining procedures, announcements to the public, and bus shuttling arrangements.
She acknowledged that SMRT could have done better.
From Channel NewsAsia, "SMRT CEO not stepping down".About 80 people gathered at Hong Lim Park yesterday, calling for the resignation of SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa, reported The Straits Times today.
The event at Speakers' Corner was organised by the blog The Online Citizen (TOC).
A photo published in The Straits Times showed a protestor holding a sign with the acronym SMRT, which read "Saw (Phaik Hwa) Must Resign Today".
Ms Saw, 57, has been in the hot seat because of the series of breakdowns on SMRT's train lines.
Who is Saw Phaik Hwa?
Ms Saw was born in Kuala Lumpur in 1954, and came to Singapore after her O' levels. She graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1978.
She was the regional president of DFS Venture Singapore in charge of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia for 19 years, up to 2002. She was retrenched from DFS in early 2002.
Later that same year, she joined SMRT as its president and chief executive, having applied for the position after seeing its advertisement in The Straits Times.
Under her leadership, SMRT's net profit has grown from $56.8 million in 2002 to $161.1 million in 2011.
However, some are critical of her apparent focus on profits rather than the needs of commuters. The Straits Times reported that at yesterday's event, TOC interim editor-in-chief Ravi Philemon said that profits, rather than service and affordability, had became SMRT's priority.
On Friday, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew expressed his disappointment with how SMRT handled Thursday's disruption. On Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that there would be a public inquiry to look into the train breakdowns.
From Asiaone, "Woman in the hot seat".
Yes, it's OUTRAGEOUS! This morning it's reported that train services between Marina Bay and Newton were disrupted Saturday morning -- two days after a major glitch affected 127,000 passengers on Thursday evening!
And the current SMRT CEO Ms Saw Phaik Hwa yesterday is believed to 'consider resigning if necessary'.
To misquote the Jedi Master Yoda of the Star Wars epic movies: "Consider, you shall not.Resign, you must."
Or (the more correct one): "No! Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."
Or in this situation, to replace the word 'try' with 'consider'. Hur hur.
SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa apologised today for Thursday's five-hour long evening disruption on the North-South line.
Speaking at a press conference at SMRT Headquarters on Friday afternoon, she said SMRT was very sorry that the disruption had happened.
An online news source quoted her as saying that she will consider resigning if necessary, but would reserve her opinion on the matter for the time being.
She was commenting on public calls for her and other senior management to resign.
No effort would be spared in preventing a recurrence of the incident, Ms Saw told reporters.
According to The Straits Times, Ms Saw said it was important that SMRT improve its incident management plans and crowd management.
She also promised her personal attention on improving how SMRT gave timely and better information, an online news source said.
SMRT said in a statement on its website that 300 staff were activated to assist passengers and resolve the fault.
"The disruption is caused by a damaged third rail between Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall MRT stations.
The faulty third rail damaged the collector shoes of four trains, which caused all of them to stall," the statement said.
Thursday's disruption was the second breakdown in as many days and affected some 127,000 commuters.
From Asiaone, "SMRT CEO apologises, will consider resigning if necessary".SMRT said train services between Marina Bay and Newton were disrupted Saturday morning -- two days after a major glitch affected 127,000 passengers on Thursday evening.
SMRT said the incident happened at 6.50am, and advised passengers to seek alternative transport or take its bridging bus services.
At around that time, MediaCorp hotline caller Jeannie Lau -- who was in an MRT train near City Hall -- said she and other passengers had to evacuate the train after "the doors got stuck".
She added they had to walk along the underground train track -- something with some passengers stuck on Thursday's trains did.
Meanwhile, live reports filed by commuters travelling on MRTs have been flooding social media platforms such as twitter and Facebook.
Twitter user "chuakunyang" who was on his way to work said the train he was in had "lights half off".
The breakdown came a day after SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa apologised for Thursday's glitch which affected 127,000 passengers, including 1,000 trapped in each of the four stalled trains.
When Channel NewsAsia arrived at Newton MRT station, passengers affected by the disruption appeared generally calm.
Announcements at the train station were broadcast every 15 minutes and signs were prominently displayed to direct passengers to the bus stop.
From Channel NewsAsia, "MRT breaks down again". (17/12, 0739 hrs)Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew has described Thursday's train disruption as an "extremely serious" one, with the safety of commuters compromised.
Mr Lui added he is disappointed with the way transport operator SMRT handled the incident which affected thousands, and that he will look at past lapses before deciding on the penalty for the latest disruption.
Mr Lui met reporters at Changi Airport immediately upon his arrival home after a meeting in Cambodia - an indication the latest incident weighed heavy on his mind.
He said it is justifiable commuters are angry and concerned especially so for those on the affected trains who were left in darkness with little ventilation.
"There are SOPs (standard operating procedures) that need to be followed on how you bring passengers on such affected trains to safety, the timelines to be adhered to, as well as other service recovery related issues," Mr Lui said. \
"I think we need to look at whether SOPs are sufficiently comprehensive and whether they were adhered to and properly followed."
He questioned the timeliness of information given to affected commuters, adding what needs to be done is to determine the root cause of the problem: That the maintenance regime needs to be more robust and comprehensive.
Mr Lui said he has decided not to let SMRT alone handle the post-mortem.
He has tasked the Land Transport Authority to form an independent panel comprising local and overseas experts to review the entire rail network, from system maintenance, incident management, communications and service recovery.
He said the panel, expected to be formed next week, is priority.
"I spoke to Chairman, SMRT, Mr Koh Yong Guan, this afternoon, to reiterate the government's concerns over the incident and over how the incident was handled," Mr Lui said.
"And I told him that the SMRT board and management must make every effort to get to the bottom of this, to improve on their procedures and on how these incidence are managed."
When asked about penalties that may be imposed on SMRT, Mr Lui said that will come later, when "we are clearer as to what exactly happened in this particular instance".
He said: "Certainly, if and when we do impose penalties on them, we will have to take into consideration what had happened in the past."
Mr Lui said he expects the review panel to come up with some answers before the coming committee of supply (COS) debate, which is due in the first quarter of next year.
From Channel NewsAsia, "MRT breakdown "extremely serious": Lui Tuck Yew". (16/12, 2222 hrs)SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa on Friday offered her sincere apologies to all MRT commuters affected by the five-hour breakdown on the North-South Line during rush hours on Thursday evening.
The disruption affected 127,000 passengers including 1,000 trapped in each of the four trains that stalled.
"We are truly sorry about this. I'm very, very sorry about this." It was one of several impassioned apologies the SMRT chief made during a news conference at the SMRT headquarters on Friday.
Ms Saw promised a full investigation into what had caused the breakdown. She said SMRT will learn from the incident and improve on giving better information.
"We do apologise especially those who experienced considerable inconvenience... What we can promise is that we will spare no effort in preventing such an occurrence," said Ms Saw.
"I will personally look into improving our incident management plan, especially in the areas of giving timely and better information, as well as crowd management, in both our stations and in the trains," she added.
SMRT cited a possible alignment problem in the rail system as the cause of the disruption, and deployed some 60 staff to test for alignment on Thursday night after the incident.
However, the exact point at which the alignment was off has not been established yet.
SMRT acknowledged that the rail network has grown, and hence is more complex. It said this made it difficult for the operator to execute its emergency plans.
SMRT said it will review its standard operating procedures.
SMRT also said it will be working to improve its communication strategies. This includes possibly broadcasting recorded announcements in four languages.
There had been several calls online for SMRT's senior executives to account for Thursday's disruptions.
At the news conference, Ms Saw was asked if she would resign to take responsibility.
She said that "it is something I would seriously consider if there is a necessity to do so, but I think I will reserve comments at this moment."
Thursday's disruption is the latest in as many days.
It happened just a day after train services on some Circle Line stations were disrupted, affecting 1,400 passengers. The Circle Line disruption is the second since the line was fully opened this year and the eighth since its phased opening in 2009.
Ms Saw reiterated that SMRT did its best and its maintenance and service standards were up to mark.
"At the drop of a hat, hundreds of our staff who are somewhere else will come back and do their best when the system is down. For that, I think our staff tried very, very hard," Ms Saw said.
"The amount of effort, from the buses to the train people, communications people to the engineers, station staff, they worked overnight. Just to let you know, our staff have been working overnight for three nights," she added.
More than 300 staff who were not working at that time were activated to help commuters on Thursday evening.
SMRT has also apologised for the "income opportunity" message template that was sent to SMRT Taxis drivers following the train disruption.
The message, which was flashed on SMRT taxi drivers' screens, read: "Income opportunity. Dear partners, there is a breakdown in our MRT train services from Bishan MRT to Marina Bay MRT stretch of stations." A taxi passenger took a photo of the screen and posted it online. It went viral instantly and the message drew heavy criticisms.
SMRT said it was a "very bad mistake" to send out an "insensitive" message alert about the train breakdown.
SMRT explained that instead of using the template for train disruption, a wrong message template was used.
This was subsequently corrected.
The rail operator explained that SMRT Taxis usually sends out messages to advise cab drivers of crowded events, such as during the F1 race.
This is so that its cabbies could head down to the locations to pick up passengers and to ease congestion.
SMRT also addressed commuters' complaints that there were no ventilation and that in one stalled train there were no lights during the network breakdown.
The rail operator said that the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) was supposed to kick in when power is cut off during a train breakdown.
SMRT's senior vice-president for communications and services, Goh Chee Kong, said: "When the train breaks down, or when the power is cut, there is a UPS that is supposed to turn on. When it turns on, what we have is emergency lighting and also ventilation.
"But the ventilation is different from air-conditioning, and it should last for about 45 minutes. But at the point in time, we have to be aware that it (train) was very crowded. When you have a very crowded train.....some people may feel there's no ventilation.
"We do understand that some commuters complained that it was very dark. We are still investigating what had happened to that particular train where there were no lights."
From Channel NewsAsia, "SMRT CEO apologises for MRT breakdown". (16/12, 1502 hrs)SMRT has admitted that it was a "very bad mistake" to send out an "insensitive" message alert about the train disruption on Thursday night.
The "income opportunity" message was sent to all SMRT taxi drivers.
A passenger took a picture of it and posted it online.
It went viral instantly and the message drew heavy criticisms.
At the news conference on Friday, SMRT explained that instead of using the template for train disruption, a wrong message template was used.
This was subsequently corrected.
The rail operator explained that SMRT Taxis usually sends out messages to advise cab drivers of crowded events - such as during the F1 race, or when events wrap up at Suntec Convention Centre.
This is so that its cabbies could head down to the locations to pick up passengers, and to ease congestion.
Goh Chee Kong, senior vice-president of Communications and Services at SMRT, said: "We have several templates, but we have one for service disruption. And that should have been the one that was sent out. But our supervisor at the call centre sent out the wrong one, which was very embarrassing and we are very apologetic for it. It should not have happened."
From Channel NewsAsia, "SMRT apologises for "income opportunity" message". (16/12, 1721 hrs)Two women were sent to hospital for breathing difficulties, after being caught in Thursday night's train disruption.
They have since been discharged.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said a 25-year-old woman was sent to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) from Orchard MRT station at around 8pm.
About two hours later, a 41-year-old woman was sent to SGH in a semi-conscious state from Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.
SGH said the younger woman was discharged within an hour against medical advice, while the other woman was discharged on Friday afternoon, after she was said to be "in a stable and comfortable condition".
A psychologist Channel NewsAsia spoke with said that the situation was handled rather calmly, with no visible signs of hysteria.
But she added that such an incident would affect those suffering from claustrophobia, and more so for children.
Dr Elizabeth Nair, the president of the Singapore Psychological Society, said: "He (an adult) would be in better shape than a child who has claustrophobia or develops claustrophobia as result of this incident. Which is why for children who were actually involved, it is a good idea to check and see if there is any impact on them, and give them whatever follow-up treatment or therapy which is required."
From Channel NewsAsia, "Train disruption sent two to hospital". (16/12, 1207 hrs)Many commuters Channel NewsAsia spoke with have responded positively to SMRT's apology over Thursday night's train disruption.
But they added that more needs to be done to ensure a repeat of Thursday night's incident does not occur.
One commuter said: "This is not the first time this thing has happened, and I think the most important thing is to take action. You can apologise a few times, but in the end, what we expect, as commuters, is a smooth experience."
Another commented: "You can't expect everything to work all the time, so since this happened and SMRT apologised, if it doesn't happen again then I am sure that is fine."
A third noted: "I think their apology was sincere and from the heart, because they handled it the best way that they could. Sometimes when there are mechanical breakdowns, it is beyond human control."
On calls for SMRT chief executive officer (CEO) Saw Phaik Hwa to step down, some said it is unnecessary.
One commuter noted: "It is a knee-jerk reaction. Overall, I think SMRT has been doing a good job, so I do not think the CEO needs to step down..."
Another added: "If you are going to ask the (CEO) to step down after one problem has happened, yes I know it is a big problem, but if it has happened, and SMRT is going to do something about it, then give the person a chance I suppose?"
However, one person said: "If stepping down can help improve the situation, then why not?"
From Channel NewsAsia, "Commuters' reactions to SMRT's apology over train disruption". (16/12, 2031 hrs)
...very horrific! Yuck. My eyes?!?! They just popped out of their sockets. Arrgh...
Is the infamous Steven Lim up to his attention-grabbing antics again?
Since yesterday morning, an event poster for "Steven Lim's model search in Nanyang Polytechnic" has been circulating in cyberspace.
It features a shot of him dressed only in a pair of attention-grabbing briefs.
There is a date and time for the event, accompanied by a line which reads: "Are you ready to seize the opportunity?"
The poster has since gone viral.
On Temasek Review's Facebook page, it has been shared as many as 300 times, sparking numerous comments.
Some expressed disbelief that Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) would host an event with Lim.
Others said they were disgusted.
One netizen even proclaimed: "I've lost faith in our education system."
Lim, 35, is best remembered for stripping down to a pair of yellow swimming trunks during the auditions for the first season of Singapore Idol in 2004.
But when contacted by The New Paper, Lim said the poster was a hoax.
An NYP spokesman also confirmed that no such event has been planned.
Lim told TNP: "There is no way I could've have done it. All I know how to use is Microsoft Paint and (I) do not have the programme installed on my computer to do a poster like that."
But he confirmed that the photograph of him in the pair of briefs is real. He said: "Yes, I have that pair of boxers. It was given to me by Patricia Mok when I performed at Fann Wong's hen party."
Lim added that he didn't know who was responsible for the poster.
"People have used pictures of me without my permission before, but I have become indifferent to it. So long as they don't get me into trouble," he said.
'Irresponsible act'
The NYP spokesman said: "This is an irresponsible act. It is not fair that they should use names of organisations in a hoax or prank."
Lim agreed.
"It's not so good to do such a poster, because it looks so real. I would understand why people would feel cheated," he said.
Another reason the poster may fool people into thinking it is real is that Lim owns a modelling agency.
But he stressed that it has never crossed his mind to do a islandwide model search for his agency.
"The people I have as models get me either by e-mail or get referred to me if they want to be a model in my company," he said.
Lim said he is busy promoting himself and his modelling agency in Asia.
"I do have fans and will not let the negative comments stop me," he added.
From Asiaone, "Hoax poster of Steven Lim goes viral".An online poster featuring former Singapore Idol contestant Steven Lim promoting an event titled, “Steven Lim’s Model Search in Nanyang Polytechnic” is a hoax.
There is no such event, according to Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).
The poster with the tagline, “Are you ready to seize the opportunity?” features Lim in nothing but a skimpy pair of briefs.
When contacted by Yahoo! Singapore, NYP confirmed the poster was a hoax but the school refused to comment if it will take any action.
Lim told Yahoo! Singapore that he had no part whatsoever in the poster and called it “irresponsible”. But he added that similar incidents have happened many times before.
“A lot of people use my image without my permission. There’s even a comic strip of me. As long as there’s no trouble, then I’m indifferent to them using photos of me,” said Lim.
From Yahoo! News, "Former S’pore Idol contestant Steven Lim in poster hoax".
The victim, a 20-year-old student Alicia Tay has learnt from her painful experience, that she should have exercised her lung to scream & not to hesitate to scream whenever she sees a pack of stray dogs in her vicinity. Hur hur.A jogger was attacked by a pack of nine stray dogs at a park in Punggol on Wednesday night.
The park was only recently developed, and animal experts said the dogs might have been trying to protect their territory.
It was a routine jog gone wrong and 20-year-old student Alicia Tay is perhaps lucky to escape with just scratches and bites.
Ms Tay said she usually runs around the neighbourhood, but decided to check out the new Waterway park.
She told Channel NewsAsia, she slowed to a brisk walk when she saw the dogs.
But they followed her and started to claw at her legs.
When one bit her ankle, she screamed and that managed to scare the dogs away.
She later went to a nearby clinic where she got a tetanus jab.
Ms Tay said a father-and-daughter pair who went to her aid, had earlier jogged past the dogs without any incident.
She said: "I couldn't stop. I was afraid they would pounce on me if I stopped, so I just brisk-walked.
"I hoped that maybe if I continued walking, I may meet people in front.
"But it looked very deserted. So I thought maybe if I left them alone, maybe if I don't give them any attention they would leave me alone as well.
"But apparently that's not the case.
"I feel that probably they felt my fear, they could sense my fear that I was really scared of them, because I was intimidated by them.
"To add on to that, I was alone."
Animal welfare group Action for Singapore Dogs said the pack was most likely abandoned by construction workers.
It said Ms Tay could have intruded into their territory.
Ricky Yeo, president, Action for Singapore Dogs, said: "We see this incident as part of the pack protecting their territory. The Punggol Waterway has just been completed, so a lot of the undeveloped land has been developed now. So their natural habitat has been destroyed."
A resident said: "I've seen just two only. Quite small, not big those type."
Another added: "They don't disturb you, actually. They just play around the hillside."
Singapore's Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority has been running control operations in the area since September. And they have rounded up 22 dogs so far.
Experts' advice to the public is to stay calm, and not to run away from stray dogs.
Ricky Yeo said: "They should gradually slow down, if possible just walk calmly away, in the opposite direction they came from, rather than going into the thick of things."
Operations will likely be stepped up soon to capture the dogs.
According to AVA procedure, captured dogs that are not claimed by owners will be put down.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Jogger attacked by stray dogs at Punggol".
Yeah, V for Vendetta...no more! It's V for Ventilation! Hur hur. 
Passengers stuck in a tunnel due to the MRT service breakdown today (Dec 15) have smashed the train window in a desperate attempt to get ventilation.
The photo was sent in by STOMPer Stefanie.
MRT service has been suspended between Marina Bay and Braddell stations, in the second such breakdown in two days.
From STOMP, "Desperate passengers stuck in tunnel smash MRT window for ventilation".
I'm quite amused to read that CASE has received complaints from unhappy consumers concerning the misunderstanding of the prices of beverages and drinks. Heh. If unhappy, the consumers should just refuse to pay!
To complain to CASE for a relatively small different of pricing is kinda hilarious...
Sure, it's a matter of principle. Yeah, yeah. Okay, I do agree. Two in three coffeeshops in Singapore will now display the prices of beverages and drinks clearly.
It's hoped that this will reduce misunderstandings between consumers and coffeeshop drinks operators, especially when prices change and consumers may not be aware of the new pricing.
Over the years, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has received complaints from unhappy consumers who were not aware of the prices at some coffeeshops.
Currently, some coffeeshops display prices but others do not have such a practice.
Consumer watchdog, CASE has worked with two major coffeeshop associations to ensure that the prices are displayed.
The two associations - Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association and the Kheng Keow Coffee Merchants Restaurant and Bar-Owners Association - represent 750 coffeeshops.
There are about 1,300 coffeeshops in Singapore.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Coffeeshops to display clearly prices of drinks".
Teresa Hsu (or Teresa Hsu Chih) is rightly dubbed as Singapore's Mother Teresa...and the Singapore's oldest person and social worker.
She has earned her rest.
Rest in peace.Singapore's oldest person and social worker, Teresa Hsu, has died at the age of 113.
She passed away peacefully at home on December 7 and was cremated the same day.
Ms Hsu was born in China in 1898 and came to Singapore in 1961.
She spent her life helping the poor and needy, and continued doing so even after her 110th birthday.
She founded Heart to Heart Service and the Home for the Aged Sick, and her commitment to charity earned her the Public Star in 2009.
Ms Hsu was known for her unassuming manner and shunned the public eye - up until her death.
According to the Heart to Heart Service website, she had asked that no media announcement be made.
She had also requested that no rituals or ceremonies be performed, to avoid "disturbance and inconvenience" to others.
She further instructed that no claim be made on her ashes, according to a notice posted by Sharana Rao, who ran the organisation with her.
Ang Bee Lian, CEO of the National Council of Social Service, said: "She was more than legendary. Her exemplary care, concern and giving spirit have left a growing imprint in social service.
"She showed through action what is possible, what is courageous and what is service to the needy."
Mr Wee Lin, who volunteered with the Society for the Aged Sick in the 1980s before he founded Sunlove Home for the intellectually-disabled, describes Ms Hsu as a "pioneer".
He said: "To go on that long a period, you must have the sincerity and the perseverance. The best service you can do for others is to set a good example, and in a way, she has been a good example...that she has persevered to the end, helping the needy."
From Channel NewsAsia, "Social worker Teresa Hsu dies at age 113".Singapore's oldest person, Madam Teresa Hsu, died last Wednesday at the age of 113 in her Hougang home.
A notice posted on the website of welfare service Heart to Heart, which she set up, announced her death. It said that Madam Hsu had given instructions to keep the news of her death a low-key affair.
She also did not wish for any rituals to be conducted and asked that no claim be made for her ashes. She was cremated the day she died.
A report in Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao yesterday said that Madam Hsu became weak four months ago and had been hospitalised three times for pneumonia and an urinary-tract infection.
A nurse at Heart to Heart told the newspaper that Madam Hsu was wheelchair-bound.
She added that Heart to Heart volunteers learnt of Madam Hsu's death only the next day through her caregiver, Mr Sharana Rao. Mr Sharana is said to have been beside her when she died.
Repeated calls to the welfare service by my paper yesterday went unanswered.
Madam Hsu was born in 1898 in Swatow, China, to a poor family. She came to Singapore in 1961 and set up the non-profit Heart to Heart service to provide food and money to the poor regularly. She would visit the needy every week to distribute food and money, even at the age of 110.
Madam Hsu was handed the Special Award for her lifelong charity work at Her World's Woman of the Year 1999 awards.
She received A Special Recognition award at the 2005 National Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards. In 2009, she was honoured with the Public Service Star.
At her 110th-birthday celebration, Madam Hsu, known as Singapore's Mother Teresa, said she would never consider retiring. "I will still share my bowl of rice with anyone who needs it," she had said.
She was one of 500 centenarians in Singapore.
From Asiaone, "S'pore's 'Mother Teresa' died at home".
Yes. I thought it was a great deal offered by Groupon: 50% discount of Grilled Gala Platter at Manhattan Fish Market worth $42.25.Groupon lied.
I checked the menu in the restaurant & I was dismayed to see that the actual price of such a menu is only $35.90.
Did I read it wrongly?
So after a bitter dinner, I verified it at the official website of Manhattan Fish Market, the price of Grilled Gala Platter is indeed $35.90!
Groupon lied.
No more Groupon for me!!
(I am sure the rest of 4,826 people who bought the deal will swear the same...)
Update: Thanks to Sheena who commented on GST & service charge. I calculated that $42.25 is about 17% higher than $35.90. That means the 17% is contributed by 7% GST & 10% service charge.
Shame on me.
I have stricken the wrong statements in this post. And added "...NOT" in the title of this post.
An inevitably tragic sequel to this post, of ComfortDelGro fare hike, a suspected cartel & "Is the President of NTA the same person with the President of Comfort Taxi Operators' Association?!", it's with complete disappointment that I learn SMRT Taxis will revise its cab fares from 20 Dec and that the changes will be in line with what was earlier announced by ComfortDelGro.
What a wrong move, SMRT Taxis!
You surely have learnt the outcry against the unpopular move by ComfortDelGro. Here is your chance to win over the customers: announce a cut to your cab fares, and take care your taxi drivers by lowering the rental rates.
By deciding to become a follower (and not a leader to dare to move against ComfortDelGro suicidal move to increase the fare), you indirectly 'punished' your taxi drivers as well. Read more on this Asiaone, "Revised fares hit cabbies' takings", about the sorry state of the ComfortDelGro taxi drivers after the fare hike took place yesterday.
I swear undying loyalty to the taxi operators which dare to announce that they will not increase the fare, and that instead they'll cut down the fee!!
Who am I kidding. Lemming mentality thrives in many companies, not excluding are the taxi operators. Really, seriously, prove me WRONG!!SMRT Taxis will revise its cab fares from 20 December. The changes are broadly in line with what has been announced by ComfortDelGro.
The flagdown rates are up 20 cents, and evening peak hours now stretch from 6pm to midnight, with a reduced, 25 percent surcharge.
SMRT Taxis says it has to keep pace with other operators, so that its drivers will not feel "deprived of a better income opportunity".
It adds that with rising costs, its 4,000 drivers need a more substantial income, not just lower costs or rental rates.
Daily rental charges range from $71 to $130, which SMRT says are not excessive.
ComfortDelGro's taxi fare revisions kicked in on Monday.
The changes include an extended peak-hour surcharge from 6.00am to 9.30am. Previously, the surcharge started an hour later, at 7.00 am.
ComfortDelGro cabbies on the morning shift said passenger numbers during the extended hour dropped by as much as 30 per cent.
But they noted that this is not an accurate reflection of numbers, as December is the school holiday period.
Some added that passenger trends should firm up by January, when more commuters return to work.
Those who took ComfortDelGro taxis during the peak morning period to the Central Business District noted a slight increase in their fares.
This could be because under the new fare structure, the meter jumps by 22 cents instead of 20 cents previously, but over a longer distance.
So long-distance trips would be harder hit. But with the peak-hour surcharge now cut from 35% to 25% of metered fare, others said they barely noticed any difference in their fares.
As for the evening peak period surcharge, the hours have been extended from 6pm till midnight, instead of 5pm to 8pm.
A check at a taxi stand just before 6pm showed many cabs lining up but not too many people rushing to get into one.
While many commuters Channel NewsAsia spoke to were unhappy over the extended peak period hours, most said that it would not make much of a difference in their daily commute. "I will still take a taxi, as time is very precious," said a woman.
From Channel NewsAsia, "SMRT Taxis announces fare revision".SMRT Taxis will be raising their taxi fares next Tuesday. The changes, coming in the wake of ComfortDelGro's fare hike on Monday, will kick in at 6am, Dec 20.
The operator's fare changes are similar to Comfort's.
Flagdown fares for most taxis will increase by 20 cents and by 70 cents for limousines. But flagdowns for Chrysler cabs remain unchanged at $5.
Meter fares for journeys up to 10km will go up from 20 cents per 385m to 22 cents per 400m.
Waiting time charges for standard taxis have also been increased from 20 cents for every 45 seconds or less to 22 cents for every 45 seconds or less.
Like Comfort, the peak period surcharge will be extended in the morning from 7am to 9.30am, to 6am to 9.30am.
The evening surcharge will also be extended from 5pm to 8pm, to 6pm to midnight. It will also apply to weekends and public holidays, compared with Monday to Saturday currently.
SMRT Taxis said it needed to 'keep pace' with Comfort's fare restructuring so that its 4,000 drivers will have an equal income opportunity, The Straits Times reported on Tuesday.
From Asiaone, "SMRT Taxis to raise fares next Tuesday".COMFORTDELGRO taxi drivers reported a drop in daily takings of at least 20 per cent yesterday, the first day the company's revised fares kicked in.
Cabbies my paper spoke to lamented that some passengers avoided getting into their taxis as a result of the fare revision.
"Even though they see that our cabs are empty, they choose to board those of other companies," said cabby S. L. Chua.
The 50-year-old, who has been a taxi driver for more than a decade, said his earnings yesterday had been "significantly" affected by the fare changes.
"Typically, I could easily make up to 20 trips in a day. But this morning, I had to go around hunting for passengers," he said.
Cabby Teh Kok Wah, 58, said he barely made enough money yesterday to cover the daily rental of his taxi and diesel costs of about $120.
"It is a lose-lose situation for both the passengers and us. They end up having to pay more while we see fewer people taking our cabs," he explained.
Even during the evening rush hour, cabbies said they faced similar difficulties.
When asked how business had been affected yesterday, ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said that it was "too early to say".
ComfortDelGro's taxi companies, Comfort Transportation and CityCab, manage a fleet of about 15,700 taxis. Drivers of other taxi operators, too, reported a drop in earnings yesterday.
Trans-cab cabby H. W. Wong, 58, said: "When the biggest player increases prices, the passengers assume that all the cabs are charging higher fares and so avoid them altogether."
However, cabbies said they expect the situation to stabilise within the next two weeks, once passengers get used to the changes.
They also pointed out that December has traditionally been a slow period due to the school holidays, when people go on vacation.
However, it being the festive season, "people are in a festive mood and won't mind spending, so a clearer picture will emerge after Chinese New Year next year", said Mr Teh.
Yesterday, SMRT, the third-largest operator with some 4,000 taxis, also announced changes to its fare structure.
When contacted, two of the four other taxi companies said they are monitoring the situation.
Trans-cab and Smart Taxi said they are in discussions with their drivers to review their fares.
From Asiaone, "Revised fares hit cabbies' takings".
Hmm...I'm interested to find out why no bank has joined this OneKey system.A new national system called "OneKey" was launched Monday to help make online transactions more secure.
OneKey is a device with a keypad the size of a name card. It's meant to replace the current system, where users receive one-time passwords via their mobile phones or token devices.
OneKey was rolled out by Assurity Trusted Solutions, a subsidiary of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).
Assurity said existing devices are vulnerable to sophisticated hacking where personal information can be stolen and unencrypted SMSes can be sniffed out.
OneKey secures online transactions by ensuring that whoever is using the system is an authentic user. And it does more than generate one-time passwords.
OneKey allows users to enter details like account numbers and transaction amounts.
That's an added layer of verification and a stronger defence against increasingly sophisticated hackers.
OneKey gives users access to multiple online platforms, which means they can do online banking with different banks, using just one device.
No bank has joined the system so far. Some, like DBS Bank, recently rolled out their own upgraded device. But the developers of OneKey are unfazed.
Lim Hup Seng, executive chairman of Assurity Trusted Solutions, said: "If I were the bank, I'd do the same thing that DBS is doing. Why? Because they'd want to make sure that their service gets down to the user. But it's possible for them to transit over at any time they choose. I'm not worried about that. They only have to decide that OneKey is suitable for them, and we can do the transition quite quickly."
Three companies - Phillip Securities, Kim Eng Securities and ST Electronics - have signed up for the OneKey project.
Apart from financial institutions, OneKey's developers are also targeting e-government transactions to better protect, for instance, sensitive income tax information on the Web.
Singapore's tax authority says it is studying the OneKey project, but no decision has been made yet.
Other possible e-government transactions that could use the authenticating service include online applications for work permits.
From Channel NewsAsia, "OneKey for more secure online transactions".
Drool, I mean Google for 'hannah tan' and you'll chance upon not just the above three beautiful photos of her. There are many more!(Try out this page, Diva Asia, "Malaysia's most desired woman is tireless workaholic".)
Her official website, http://www.hannahtan.com/ is kind of corny, though.
Yeah, I'm referring to the over-used caption 'Making The Difference'. Hur hur.
Well, do not underestimate Hannah Tan, though. She's just voted to be the FHM Malaysia' Most Wanted Woman. And she too is reported to be very hardworking that she only sleeps daily for about 4 hours.
The magic of cosmetic is apparently sufficient to hide her eye circles. Heh.
But seriously though, according to HelpGuide.org, the healthy duration of sleep for adults ought to be 7.5 - 9 hours.
Hannah, you have a lot (of sleep) to catch up!!Hot, hot, hot!
Hannah Tan deserves to be the three times winner of FHM Malaysia's Most Wanted Woman.
Hands down.
Funnily enough, the sweet-as-candy cover girl is sexy, but she doesn't know it.
"I don't know what's so sexy about me," she says earnestly, giving a little girlish giggle.
"I'm the least sexy person (in the FHM list). I don't feel sexy at all.
"It was a shocker. I'm 30. The rest of the girls in the list (which include Sarah Lian, Juliana Evans, Choy Wan, Megan Tan and Andrea Fonseka) are younger than I am."
Well honey, 30 is the new 20.
Besides, sexy is when you're sexually attractive - without being sleazy or trashy.
"I think what's sexy about a woman is her self-confidence," Hannah agrees.
"It's important for a woman to look good and smell good. But what is more important is that your heart needs to be in the right place."
No kidding.
This babe takes her sexiness seriously.
An accomplished TV host and commercial model, Hannah shuttles in between Malaysia, Japan and Singapore nowadays, putting in 20 hours of hard work almost everyday.
That means she gets less than four hours of beauty sleep daily.
Or when the goings get tough, the tough cookie will get going without sleep for two days.
"I've got to multi-task to survive in the entertainment industry, especially in Malaysia," says the beauty with a mission.
"Because of that, I've neglected my health. So my new year's resolution is to get a minimum of five hours sleep everyday."
From Asiaone, "Hannah Tan brings sexy back".
I love STOMP!! The article, "Missed 'blood moon' in June? Well, look to the skies tonight" is indeed full of the right information.
I just saw the 'blood mooon' forming at about 10:20 PM! Yeah. Perfect with cloudless sky!!
The blood moon is actually due to lunar eclipse.
Howling...because I don't have a powerful camera to document this wonderful phenomenon!! Sigh.
One of my gladiators, Kull XIII has fallen in the arena. 
It calls for...Vengeance!
Hur hur.
Yeah. Cannot resist to 'mix' this post with the TV series 'Spartacus: Vengeance' which will be coming to STARZ January 2012.
Here's the trailer:
If you like this literally-bloody show, you may want to check out 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena', and 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand'.
The tragic news offers a mystery: Christopher Melky Tanujaya--the silver medal winner at the 2009 National Science Olympiad--was stabbed to his death and yet, none of his belongings were stolen (according to his uncle Rudi Tanujaya--also mentioned by Jakarta Post that Christopher's cell phone was also in place!).
Another article by Jakarta Globe has stated that police dismissed robbery as the motive because his wallet was still on him along with all his money and identification.
However just one hour ago, it's reported by Jakarta Post that a jobless man was caught as he allegedly killed Christopher and also snatched his Blackberry.
So, which is the truth? Is it a plain, straight-forward bloody robbery? (Perhaps Christopher had two handphones? One is the one mentioned as 'cell phone was in place' and another is the allegedly missing Blackberry?!)
Or is it something else more sinister like what the victim's uncle Rudi Tanujaya suggested? What is the motive behind the murder, really?Christopher Melky Tanujaya, 16, should have left for Australia on Wednesday, where he would have decided whether to study at the University of Sydney or the University of Queensland.
But the silver medal winner at the 2009 National Science Olympiad never had the chance to make that decision. His life was cut short by an assailant who stabbed him near a Transjakarta bus shelter in Penjari-ngan, North Jakarta.
Christopher was traveling home from a get-together held by fellow scholarship grantees in Singapore on Monday when the attack happened.
Soon after graduating from junior high in Pluit, North Jakarta, Christopher received a scholarship to continue his high school education at Saint Joseph’s School in Singapore on the merit of his academic records.
He won a silver medal for math at the olympiad in 2009 and likely had a bright future in academia.
Christopher’s mother, Norma Susilowati, 50, said she could not understand why anyone would have wanted to kill her son, saying that he had no enemies.
The boy’s uncle, Rudi Tanujaya, suspected that somebody might have cooked up a plot to kill Christopher out of vengeance.
“The motive could have been payback because none of his belongings were stolen. We found his cell phone and everything was still in place,” Rudi said as quoted by kompas.com.
Police in North Jakarta said that they had yet to find any clues that could reveal the motive behind the murder.
North Jakarta Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Irwan Anwar said that investigators were now scouring through footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed near the crime scene.
Irwan also said that investigators had questioned several witnesses from the crime scene and established a description of Christopher’s assailant.
“Some witnesses said that once the victim arrived at the busway station, near state elementary school SDN 01 Pagi Pluit, the suspect stabbed him. They said that the assailant had wavy hair,” Irwan said.
Christopher is the latest example of a city youth perishing on Jakarta’s streets.
In August, Livia Pavita Soelistio, a student at the Bina Nusantara (Binus) University, was found dead in Cisauk after she was raped and killed.
Livia went missing after she left her home for the campus in West Jakarta on Aug. 16. The police have arrested four suspects in the case.
In March, Amanda Dewi Setiawan, a resident of Taman Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, and a student at IPEKA International Christian High School, died on her birthday after residents found her unconscious with stab wounds to her stomach on the side of a road in Taman Meruya Ilir, West Jakarta.
From Jakarta Post, "Brilliant young talent stabbed to death on Jakarta street".Jakarta Police have begun to unravel the murder of an academically gifted 17-year-old student earlier this week, an officer said on Thursday.
Witnesses have provided clues on the identity of the man who stabbed high school Science Olympiad winner Christopher Melky Tanujaya to death on Monday, Jakarta Police general crimes division director Sr. Comr. Gatot Edy Pramono said.
“It’s still unconfirmed, but hopefully we can solve the case very soon,” Gatot said. “If that’s the man, we thank God.”
The suspected killer was 165 centimeters tall with curly hair and was wearing a sweater at the time of the murder, the officer said.
“We are having a sketch done, but it will be used in the investigation, not for publication,” he said.
Gatot declined to say whether the alleged murderer was a similar age to the victim or if the two knew each other.
“We’ll talk about it later. We are still searching for the man,” he said, adding that police were still analyzing footage from a security camera installed near the crime scene.
Christopher was stabbed outside a primary school in Pluit, North Jakarta, where he was visiting his family on holiday.
According to police, a passerby heard Christopher calling for help at around 7 p.m. He was taken to Atma Jaya Hospital in Pluit but died soon after.
He had sustained stab wounds to the left and right sides of his neck and to his back and chest.
Police dismissed robbery as the motive because his wallet was still on him along with all his money and identification.
According to the Ministry of Education and Culture, Christopher was the winner of the 2009 National Science Olympiad, where he represented Ipeka Pluit Junior High School in Kota, Jakarta.
He was a student at Saint Joseph’s Institution in Singapore, where he had been awarded a scholarship.
The victim’s father, Stefanus Hans Tanujaya, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that the death was a huge blow to the family, especially because Christopher wasn’t the kind of person to get into a confrontation.
“He was a good kid, he liked to hang out with his friends and he never got into trouble,” he said.
“I never saw him argue with his friends. In fact, he had a lot of friends. He liked to socialize, to play sports. He was just a very down-to-earth person.”
All the family wants now, Stefanus said, is for the killer to be caught so they can know why their son is dead.
“I hope the police can solve this case soon and catch the killer, because we need to know their motive for murdering our son in such a sadistic way,” he said.
“We don’t ask for anything else, because even if the killer is sentenced to death, that won’t bring Christopher back.”
The family is holding a wake for Christopher at Atma Jaya Hospital and plans to bury him today.
From Jakarta Globe, "Clues Point to Killer of Science Whizkid Christopher: Police".Police have arrested a jobless man who, they allege, robbed and stabbed Math Olympiad winner Christopher Melky Tanujaya, 16, in Pluit, North Jakarta.
North Jakarta police chief Snr.Comr.Andap Bhudy said that Abdul Jalil,24, was arrested on Thursday night at his home in Pluit, kompas.com reported.
On the day of the incident, Abdul, a junior-high school dropout, woke at 10 a.m., watched a music program on TV and roamed around the area. Late in the afternoon, he allegedly prepared his knife and looked for a victim, according to Andap.
When he saw Christopher get off the Transjakarta bus, he followed him,snatched his Blackberry and stabbed him four times in the neck and shoulder, the police allege. He escaped by bicycle taxi.
Christopher, a student of Saint Joseph’s Institute in Singapore, died later in Atma Jaya hospital. He was on his way home after playing futsal when he was stabbed on Monday at around 5 p.m.
From Jakarta Post, "Jobless man arrested for stabbing Math Olympiad winner".
