Whether you’re serving your National Service [NS] or have previously served NS, this is an important announcement for all you National Servicemen out there so please read the following information carefully and take the necessary actions to safeguard the rewards that you are eligible for!
Due to your unwavering dedication and service to the Nation, the Ministry of Defence [MINDEF] will be giving you the opportunity to enjoy SAFRA Benefits with your family members.
From now till April 2013, please look out for your NS45 eligibility letters in the mail [yes, snail mail] because you’ll get to enjoy shopping, F&B, IT/gadgets and travel benefits at 5,000 outlets islandwide! Make sure you register for your NS45 SAFRA Vouchers by 28 February 2014 as the Vouchers are only valid until 30 March 14 [I know you have till 2014 to register but it is better to register for them early so that you can get the vouchers early and use them early].
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| From NS45 SAFRA 2013 |
Here is a table showing you the amount/value of SAFRA Vouchers that you may be entitled to.
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| From NS45 SAFRA 2013 |
In addition, as you have seen from the table above, National Servicemen who are currently serving Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS), or who have completed their ORNS training cycle in full, will also be offered a free SAFRA Membership for one year. Now, being a SAFRA Member is AWESOME because you and your family members will get to enjoy tons of additional privileges and benefits on top of the vouchers that you will be receiving.
To find out what are the various privileges and benefits you get as a SAFRA Member, check out the following link:
http://www.safra.sg/Indulge/Overview.aspx
As I am entitled to SGD $80 worth of SAFRA Vouchers and a free one year SAFRA Membership, here’s what I would do!
1). Since Baby have always wanted to check out the Adventure Cove Waterpark and S.E.A Aquarium at the Resorts World Sentosa, I might use the Vouchers to offset the price of 2 Admission Tickets for the Adventure Cove Waterpark and S.E.A Aquarium at the Resorts World Sentosa. So instead of paying SGD $116, I just have to pay SGD $36!
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| From NS45 SAFRA 2013 |
OR
2). To celebrate our monthsary, I might plan a romantic date by using the vouchers to treat Baby and myself to an awesome movie experience at Shaw IMAX which cost SGD $46 and use the rest of the vouchers for a sumptuous-licious dinner at Rocku Yakiniku Japanese Charcoal Grill Restaurant.
Shaw IMAX
Rocku Yakiniku Japanese Charcoal Grill Restaurant.
OR
3). Use the Vouchers to treat my family members to a sumptuous-licious dinner at SAFRA Toa Payoh’s Kkongdon Korean Barbecue Restaurant.
OR
4). Organise a Karaoke Singing Session with my Army Buddies at SAFRA Toa Payoh’s KBOX and talk about the good ol’ army days.
[Credits to Street Directory for the Image]
There are certainly so many things I could do with the Vouchers and it is really hard deciding what I should do with it.
Maybe I should just go for Option 1 and then following which, treat my family members to a sumptuous buffet dinner at Park Royal On Beach Road Hotel because SAFRA Members are entitled to one complimentary buffet lunch or dinner with every 3 paying adults; and then after which, gather a few of my Army Buddies for a Karaoke Singing Session and utilise my SAFRA Membership at SAFRA Yishun’s Party World KTV to enjoy a 20% discount off the total bill! Now that’s more like it because I get to kill 3 birds with one stone on a single day!
Buffet Dinner at Park Royal On Beach Road Hotel
[Image Courtesy of Keropok Man]
Party World KTV!
[Image Courtesy of The Best Singapore]
Should I proceed with this plan, I would get to spend some quiet time with Baby and show my appreciation to her for being through thick and thin with me when I enlisted for NS till the day I ORD-ed, and now, serving my Reservist. Also, I could express my gratitude to my family members for their constant support of encouragement during my time as a National Serviceman Fulltime [NSF]. Last but not the least, I get to catch up with my Army Buddies and chill-out with them while singing Karaoke. So, the NS45 SAFRA Vouchers does comes in handy and so does the complimentary 1-year SAFRA Membership.
Anyway, SAFRA does brings NSmen closer together, check out some of the activities and things that you can do at SAFRA via the following link: http://awinsomelife.org/2012/10/28/safra-toa-payoh-openhouse-2012/
So, what are you waiting for?
Hurry over to http://ns45.safra.sg/Home.aspx and register for your NS45 SAFRA Vouchers now!
While walking around Chinatown Point, we spotted quite a large crowd of people gathering at Hong Lim Park [Speakers' Corner] and we found out that there was a protest about the population white paper going on.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Well, due to our curiousity, we decided to check it out.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Despite the light drizzle, the number of people present were quite significant. This was a picture that we took from across the road. A number of people could be seen walking towards the tentage with their umbrellas.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
To be really honest, the turnout was above expectations. According to the main organiser of the event, Mr. Gilbert Goh initially expected that only about 200+ people would come for the protest. However, officials estimated that about 4000+ people were present.
The crowd of people whom gathered at the top to listen and hear what the speakers had to say about the population white paper.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
The crowd of people whom were on the muddy ground, braving the rain, and listening to what the speakers had to say about the population white paper.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Even crowds of people gathered at the overhead bridge to watch the protest going on.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Here’s a shot of the crowd of people whom gathered just outside the MRT Station.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
The crowd of people whom gathered at the indoor sheltered area to watch and listen the speakers whom shared about their thoughts and opinions on the population white paper.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
The crowds of people whom gathered together to protest peacefully against the population white paper consisted of Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans. People of all ages from young to old and even those whom are disabled were there to stand against the population white paper.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Hong Lim Park Speakers’ Corner was definitely packed and we saw for ourselves how united everyone was and voiced out their displeasure over the population white paper. Despite the rain, everyone whom was there were unwavered and they stood firm on the muddy grounds.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Though we didn’t spot any mainstream media while we were there, we did spot some foreign news media such as CNBC and Reuters whom were there to cover the event.
CNBC covering the event.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Reuters covering the event.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Here are some other interesting sights that we saw during the protest as well:
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
The pictures does gives you a perspective of what went on during the peaceful protest and some say it is a historical moment for Singapore where Singaporeans stood united with a common voice to sound off their displeasure over the population white paper.
12 speakers from varying backgrounds spoke to the large crowds and some of the speakers included current and former opposition party members. Even Tan Kin Lian and Tan Jee Say were there to speak during the event.
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
The event ended with everyone singing the Singapore National Anthem [Majulah Singapura]. Earlier during the event, the crowd even sang the song, “Count On Me Singapore” and took the Citizen’s Pledge.
Well, the atmosphere was rather electrifying. We saw crowds of people cheering, jeering, and tearing. I guess what the speakers spoke about has really hit the nail on the spot and truly, we personally disagree with the population white paper. Anyhows, we saw for ourselves how Singaporeans can be united against a common cause; putting aside our differences, and standing up for our future generations of children and grandchildren.
A picture of the finale!
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| From Population White Paper Protest 2013 |
Stay tuned to more updates from us!
God bless!
So much has happened this week that we haven’t been able to blog much. Nevertheless, here is just an update as to what we have been up to!
In the earlier part of this week, we caught the movie, Hansel & Gretel 3D [courtesy of Club UIP] and it was indeed an awesome movie. Do check out our review about the movie at the following link: http://awinsomelife.org/2013/01/22/hansel-gretel-witch-hunters-3d-2013-movie-review/
On a separate note, our current giveaway of 1 Set of 5 Sticky Ties to 5 Lucky Winners will be ending today and after which, we will be announcing the winners shortly.
Anyways, Chinese New Year is just 14 days away and Valentine’s Day is 4 days after Chinese New Year! What a busy month of February it is going to be indeed! Have all of you bought your “New Year” clothing and thought about what to get for your other half on Valentine’s Day yet?
When we were looking at the “New Year” Goodies that were being sold at the various Bakeries and Stores, we were rather appalled that the prices were so unreasonably high! When we went across the Causeway to Johor Bahru, the “New Year” Goodies were priced somewhat similar to Singapore’s pricing but if you take the currency exchange rate into consideration, you are literally getting them at half the price. So, if you’re looking for a less expensive alternative to Singapore’s “New Year” Goodies, why not head over to Johor Bahru and get them because they are less expensive. If you’re heading over to Johor Bahru, we will strongly recommend you to get the “New Year” Goodies from Lavender. They have a wide range of “New Year” Goodies and their “New Year” Goodies are really awesome. Just look out for their booth at the Main Atrium of City Square.
As for Valentine’s Day, there’s a lot of things you can do with your other half. Well, some activities for Valentine’s Day could be spending time together by staying at home and cooking/baking together, going out to shop together, catching a movie together, having a romantic dinner together, and taking a stroll along East Coast Park or Gardens By The Bay. You don’t really need to spend a lot in order to achieve the objectives of spending a meaningful time together.
On a separate note, the Punggol East By-Election that took place yesterday ended victoriously for the Worker’s Party [WP] and we wish Lee Li Lian all the best in her role as an elected MP. As for the People’s Action Party, the tide is changing for them and there is definitely much work to be done on the ground if they want to win the hearts of the people. Seriously, there needs to be a review in the prices for Housing, COE, Healthcare, Transportation and Education. If these essential infrastructures are already cracking, surly there ought to be repair works and if these cracks are still not rectified, then I suppose we will most likely be able to predict the results of the next General Election [GE]. If the current infrastructure can’t even support Singapore’s current population of 5 million, wouldn’t a population of 7 million people make it worse?
Oh wells, we shall talk more about these issues in our upcoming blog entries.
Stay tuned to more updates from us!
God bless!
With the recent scandal about Zoey Raymond that has been going on the Internet for more than a week already, there was even a ANTI ZOE Raymond Facebook Page that purports to be supporting Yuki Ng but in actual fact, was used to slam Zoey Raymond.
Alright, let us make this point clear. As we do not personally know Yuki Ng, Alvin Yang, or Zoey Raymond; there is absolutely no need for us to defend or accuse anybody. Yes, Yuki Ng may have been badly hurt by Alvin Yang and Zoey Ramoynd, and we all know that feeling of a shattered heart; especially for those of us whom have ever been in a relationship, but there is absolutely no need to incite hatred towards another individual that results in the behaviour of Cyber-Bullying.
The legal definition of Cyber-Bullying as given on Wikipedia is as follows:
Cyber-Bullying is defined in legal glossaries as:
- actions that use information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm another or others.
- use of communication technologies for the intention of harming another person
- use of internet service and mobile technologies such as web pages and discussion groups as well as instant messaging or SMS text messaging with the intention of harming another person.
Examples of what constitutes Cyber-Bullying include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down, falsely discredit, or humiliate the recipient. The actions are deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior intended to harm another. A Cyber-Bully may be a person whom the target knows or an online stranger. A Cyber-Bully may be anonymous and may solicit involvement of other people online who do not even know the target. This is known as a ‘digital pile-on.’
Although Singapore may not officially have laws that are specific to Cyber-Bullying, there are existing laws that can be applied against Cyber-Bullying and it may amount to criminal intimidation under the Penal Code, an offence which carries a penalty of imprisonment and/or a fine.
In a report by AsiaOne News, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr. Teo Chee Hean explained that offences such as extortion or insulting a woman’s modesty could apply to Cyber-Bullying as well. In cases involving serious threats, such as threats to cause death or grievous hurt, the penalty is more severe, with a longer term of imprisonment. A victim of Cyber-Bullying may also obtain a civil injunction from the court to restrain the perpetrator.
So seriously, for those who slammed Zoey Raymond by creating an ANTI ZOE Raymond Facebook Page, we hope that the person whom created the page and the people whom were involved in the slamming would understand the consequences of Cyber-Bullying and that Zoey Raymond has every right to obtain a civil injunction from the court to restrain the perpetrators.
Anyways, as of now [1735 hours], the ANTI ZOE Raymond Facebook Page has been taken down temporarily and it is unclear whether any actions will be taken against those whom were involved in the act of Cyber-Bullying. We believe screenshots of the ANTI ZOE Raymond Facebook Page have been taken and those can be used as evidences against those whom were involved in the act of Cyber-Bullying.
With that being said, it seems that the group of people whom were involved might bring their laments and hatred to Zoey Raymond’s Facebook Page and/or Yuki Ng’s Facebook Page. If they [the group of people] slam Zoey Raymond on Zoey Raymond’s Facebook Page, Zoey Raymond can inform the relevant authorities and action will be taken against them promptly. If they slam Zoey Raymond on Yuki Ng’s Facebook Page; it might be possible that the relevant authorities will take action against not just the group of people but Yuki Ng as well. So, we really hope that everyone can sit down, reflect, and think rationally before inciting hatred and carrying out the act of Cyber-Bullying. If the group of people whom supports Yuki Ng are serious about encouraging and supporting Yuki Ng, we’re pretty sure they would follow what Yuki Ng told her followers to do; that is, to resolve issues by communicating with wisdom and maturity, and not use harsh expletives against another individual.
So well, we hope that through this blog entry, we as Netizens can be more mature in the way we communicate and do things on the Internet.
Stay tuned to more updates from us!
God bless!
Recently, much has been said about the illegal strike by the drivers from China and there have been quite a lot of “internet bashings” among netizens as well. More recently, the Transport Minister said that next year’s public transport fare adjustments will take into account the need to raise bus drivers’ wages. Really, is this necessary or are they just using the strike as an excuse?
Already, we are trying very hard to make ends meets, and with the ever-increasing costs of basic necessities, why hasn’t our income raised by a fair bit? My mum tells me that the income we receive today is somewhat similar to the income she received 20 years ago! So, what exactly in the world is going on?
For a start, I do agree with the fact that not many Singaporeans want to work in the service industry. As a result, many foreign workers have been hired to fill the gap and trust me, they work really long hours but are paid very little as well. In fact, in order to earn more in the service industry, workers will have to work more overtime hours and sacrifice the time that they could have spent with their loved ones and friends, causing a work-life imbalance and disharmony.
Seeing that this is the case, shouldn’t it be time that there is a review on the wages of those working in the service industry? Shouldn’t those whom are working in the service line be paid more? Of course they should, but where is the money going to come from?! From the consumers or from the corporation?!
Let me give an analogy here. If I were to start an ice-cream business selling ice-creams and the demand for ice-creams is low, I would have to sell the ice-creams for a cheaper price so that consumers will be attracted to buy them right? Now, if the demand for ice-creams is high and because I have a limited supply of ice-creams, I will sell my ice-creams at a higher price so as to reap more profits. However, seeing that the ice-cream business is a good source of income, my friend started his own ice-cream business too. Now, there are more supplies of ice-cream and in order to remain competitive, I will have to sell my ice-cream for a more acceptable and competitive pricing.
Now, what if I want to hire workers to work for me and sell my ice-creams? Do I raise the price and provide more services to the consumer or do I keep costs low? The main product that the consumer wants is ice-cream and for some of them, they wouldn’t mind paying a higher price if there are more services in return.
In this case, consumers are given the freedom and choice to choose whose ice-cream they would want to buy and at what price they want to buy.
Now, let’s bring this analogy back to the main issue using SBS and SMRT as the main context. Even though SBS and SMRT have been privatised, there are absolutely no other bus or train companies that directly compete with them. Hence, both SBS and SMRT form a duopoly and have the freedom to set the price for public transport services. Moreover, there are barriers to prevent potential business owners from setting up another bus/train company to directly compete with SBS and SMRT. How do I know that there are barriers? It’s pretty simple. Since transportation is an essential service that is always high in demand, why are there only two main transport service providers? I think this is pretty clear cut.
Since we know that SBS and SMRT are privatised and that there are barriers to prevent potential business owners from setting up another bus/train company to directly compete with SBS and SMRT, the question now is, “Is this fair?”. We Singaporeans always say that SBS and SMRT are forms of public transport, not private transport. So, if it is public transport, shouldn’t the prices be kept within the reach of an average Singaporean? If is is public transport, shouldn’t SBS and SMRT be under the government’s direct control and not be privatised? If there is a significant mismatch between costs and the prices at which SBS and SMRT are offering for public transportation, then may I ask, is this because the wages include not just the bus drivers, but also the management and key executives of SBS and SMRT?
Just take a look at how much the management and key executives of SBS and SMRT earn! These information are extracted from SBS’s and SMRT’s 2011 annual report that are available on their respective website.
SBS Directors’ Remuneration
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| From Drop Box |
SBS Key Executives’ Remuneration
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| From Drop Box |
SMRT Directors’ Remuneration
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| From Drop Box |
SMRT Key Executives’ Remuneration
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| From Drop Box |
So, is the Transportation Minister implying that we ought to pay more so that the management and key executives of SBS and SMRT can maintain their current lifestyle and also at the same time increase the bus drivers’ wages? Come on, if SBS and SMRT had kept their costs low by not paying the management and key executives of SBS and SMRT so much, then there wouldn’t be any need for an increase in public transportation fare. And by the way, why are they paid so much? Can someone please justify what is it that they do in their daily jobs to earn so much? Yes, I know SBS and SMRT are privatised companies, but they are essentially providing public transportation services, not private transportation services. See the irony?
I really do hope that Singaporeans will rally together and make our voices heard. Public transportation should be made affordable and within reach of any average Singaporean. Public transportation companies should be public and not privatised. Private transportation companies should be privatised because they are providing private transport services, not public transport services. If SBS and SMRT have been earning profits for the last 5 years and yet still be able to afford to pay the directors and executives with such a huge remuneration package, they should then allocate resources to cater to the increase of the bus drivers’ wages; not increase fares.
