'What exactly are the rest of us paying for?': Ex-restaurateur questions fairness of home-based cafés
A former restaurant and bar owner has sparked debate over the rise of unlicensed home-based cafés, calling out what he sees as double standards in Singapore's F&B industry.
In a strongly worded LinkedIn post, Mr Ee Chien Chua, who said he ran a licensed eatery and bar for six years, detailed the costs and compliance burdens borne by legitimate food operators: from commercial rent to fire certifications, grease trap maintenance, pest control, and CPF contributions.
Paid leave, inspections, food handler permits -- he said he had done it all by the book.
"So you'll have to forgive me when I say: I don't think this new wave of 'home cafés or restaurants' is a fair game."
His post was written in response to a recent The Straits Times article featuring young brewers operating cafés out of their homes, serving specialty coffee and matcha.
While applauding their entrepreneurial spirit, he questioned the apparent regulatory gap surrounding such setups.
"The rules exist for a reason - for hygiene, for safety, for accountability," he wrote.
"When you invite the public into your home for a paid meal or drink, and you're not licensed or regulated like the rest of us… how is that fair to those trying to survive in the real F&B world?"
He also expressed concern over the perceived lack of enforcement by government agencies, questioning whether authorities were overlooking residential units operating as cafés and bars.
"Where's the consistency? Where's the enforcement?" he wrote, raising questions about liquor licensing, food safety, and whether live-in domestic helpers assisting with food preparation may breach employment regulations.
"This is called: 1. Double standards. 2. Hypocrisy."
He concluded with a pointed question: "If this is okay now… can anyone just turn their home into a restaurant? And if so, what exactly are the rest of us paying for?"
His post struck a chord with many in the F&B industry.
"Fairness and safety can't be optional. The system needs to work for everyone," one commenter wrote.
Another added: "I feel you, brother. I used to run my own venues too. Crazy rent, staff costs, everything. Every month felt like a war."
Some said it was only a matter of time before regulations caught up. "Likely a ban or a very heavy restriction," one predicted.
Others, however, pushed back. One commenter argued that home cafés had clear limitations - lacking scale, street visibility, and walk-in traffic - and often relied on a fragile mix of Instagram orders and goodwill from neighbours.
"It's not that they have an unfair advantage," the person wrote.
"If anything, it shows how inaccessible the 'proper' route has become. Maybe the problem isn't the rules - it's that the rules don't leave room for anyone to start small anymore."
Another called the situation "symptomatic of a broken system", pointing to labour shortages, soaring rent and tax hikes that have left traditional F&B operators struggling.
"Focusing on HBBs [home-based businesses] as villains won't fix any of that," the commenter said.
"What's needed is a serious policy-level rethink of how we support both new and established players."
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Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Straits Times
Oversharing, AI posts and other faux pas: Why you're using LinkedIn wrong
Be mindful of the pitfalls of posting on LinkedIn, or it could lead to cringeworthy content. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO Oversharing, AI posts and other faux pas: Why you're using LinkedIn wrong SINGAPORE – A widely circulated meme mocking LinkedIn entries goes like this: 'When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of growing up to satisfy user needs in a way that meets business goals for transformative outcomes.' While the post is satirical, its virality hints at how it captures the unique – and often cringeworthy – way that people write on LinkedIn. The professional networking platform, which launched in 2003, is where humble-bragging routinely meets oversharing . U sers find ways to draw leadership life lesson s from the most mundane of daily activities, such as conversations with a taxi driver or doing a presentation. Such oversharing is not without consequences. In May, Singaporean LinkedIn user Janney Hujic, who runs tour agency Elysian Expeditions, posted about a life lesson learnt from meeting former DBS Group chief executive Piyush Gupta – only for Mr Gupta to later comment: 'Sorry to disillusion you. That isn't me!' I f not for the mistaken identity, Ms Hujic's post would probably have gone unnoticed on the platform. LinkedIn has over one billion users worldwide – more than four million of whom are based in Singapore – all plugging their own professional and personal pursuits. Many of the initial comments lauded her for writing about this fortuitous 'chance encounter'. Even after Mr Gupta weighed in to dispute the account , some commenters suggested that the post , left up for a week, could draw attention to Ms Hujic's tour company. But at the end of May, her LinkedIn account was gone. What is the line between authenticity and misreading the room? Between clout-chasing and networking? Being vulnerable and oversharing? The Straits Times spoke to recruiters, public relations experts and LinkedIn's 'top voices' to find out why you are likely using LinkedIn wrong. Here are five questions to ask before you post. 1. Is it cringe or 'context collapse'? When you post on LinkedIn, for whom should you be writing ? Y our future boss? A potential recruiter or hiring manager? Your current colleagues? Perhaps your old schoolmates or industry acquaintances? While you might imagine a particular audience, the answer is really: 'All of the above.' Internet researchers have coined the term 'context collapse' to refer to how social media creates a form of communication that collapses many distinct social contexts into one. Offline, it is an easy feat to change your tone and language when schmoozing with your boss, sharing workplace gossip with a confidant or impressing a recruiter. Online, these contexts are flattened into a single feed that all of these potential audiences – and your mum and mother-in-law – can access. This partly explains why many LinkedIn posts feel 'cringe'. Users often post to impress future hiring managers or build a specific follower base, which is perhaps an expectation that current colleagues or general audiences might not share. It also explains why certain posts land their creators in hot water. Posts on LinkedIn are visible not only to one's target audience, but also to the public. PHOTO: LINKEDINLUNATICS Ms Bethany Bloch, managing editor at public relations firm Mutant Communications, says leaders need to be mindful of the opinions they share, as well as prevailing public sentiment. 'We saw what happened with the now former vice-president of the Law Society of Singapore , which is a classic example of oversharing that led to a PR crisis for them and a personal crisis for him ,' she says, referring to Mr Chia Boon Teck, who resigned from his position after he penned a LinkedIn post in March which was seen as casting blame on a rape survivor. Mr Chia likely expected his post to stay within a small circle of friends in the legal fraternity. However, context collapse meant that strangers – including those on Facebook and Instagram – who held divergent viewpoints became his audience, judge and jury. Recruitment experts speaking to ST affirm the importance of being wary about one's LinkedIn activity, noting that it is now common practice for recruiters to look through a candidate's posts to assess his or her personality and values , and identify potential red flags . 2. Are you authentic enough? Nearly all experts speaking to ST identified 'authenticity' as an important trait to project on LinkedIn , but it is an amorphous concept that defies definition. 'Beyond qualifications, cultural and personality fit are critical factors in the hiring process,' says Ms Jaya Dass, Asia-Pacific managing director at human resources firm Randstad Enterprise, who notes that she sees inappropriate jokes and personal rants as red flags. On the other hand, insightful content about personal takeaways – instead of merely posting often – and posts showing appreciation for colleagues are her green flags. Content that drives the most engagement on LinkedIn includes business news – earnings, mergers and organisational changes – as well as career advice and industry trend perspectives, says Ms Serla Rusli, a LinkedIn career expert and senior editor at LinkedIn News. Who is posting matters. She notes that more business leaders are using LinkedIn to explain the how and why behind major professional decisions, citing a 52 per cent increase in posts from chief executives over the past two years. These average eight times more impressions and four times more engagement than posts from others. There has been a 52 per cent increase in posts from chief executives in recent years, though engagement may not always be positive. PHOTO: LINKEDINLUNATICS Sharing videos is another approach to consider. Ms Rusli notes that video is a fast-growing format on LinkedIn, with time spent watching videos up by 36 per cent as at April. Ms Christel Goh, chief executive of local public relations agency Grow Public Relations, warns against overusing personal stories , a common trope on LinkedIn. 'There's a fine line between meaningful sharing and oversharing. When every moment becomes a 'teachable lesson', it can feel forced, cringey or overly dramatic,' she adds. An overemphasis on achievements, using the platform to shame and blame others, and an excessive dependence on artificial intelligence (AI) to generate content are other common mistakes on the platform . LinkedIn users' frequent overemphasis on achievements and 'teachable' moments is often satirised. PHOTO: LINKEDINLUNATICS 'LinkedIn is a professional networking space, and because of its nature, many users feel compelled to present a highly polished, positive image of themselves,' Ms Goh says. 'While this might seem appropriate for a professional platform, the overly curated and idealised tone can come across as unrealistic. People don't typically communicate in such a polished manner in everyday life. ' The key is setting editorial guidelines for yourself, says Dr Juliana Chan, a LinkedIn Top Voice with more than 100,000 followers, and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist-turned-branding-coach who prides herself on speaking 'fluent LinkedInese' . ''Does this story serve my professional audience? Does it add value or context to my expertise and job as a branding coach?' If yes, I'll share it authentically. If it's just unnecessary personal drama or random life updates, it stays private,' she says. She points to a post she made in November about her father's death in 2024 because she had written about him on LinkedIn in the past. She sees this as professionally relevant context because it 'helped people see that I am only human and not some digital avatar'. The challenge lies in where to draw these lines. What constitutes oversharing versus insight? Bluntness versus offence? The inherent risk of using LinkedIn as a platform is that not everyone agrees on boundaries. Unfortunately, any misjudgments are linked to your employer and a detailed resume. For another LinkedIn Top Voice and founder of career development organisation The Mindgem, Ms Ratna Juita, the answer lies in understanding that you cannot please everyone. 'In today's attention economy, appealing to everybody means appealing to nobody,' she says. ' Embrace strategic polarisation. Take clear stands on industry issues, share your unique perspectives and don't be afraid to repel the wrong audience while attracting the right one.' 3. How are you using your connections? One of LinkedIn's most important functions is the ability to connect with others. But this, too, can be a potential source of networking faux pas. Ms Yeo Sha-En, a professional speaker and LinkedIn Top Voice, considers immediately asking for something upon reaching out to be a networking red flag. 'In the case of networking or mentorship, this is equivalent to meeting someone for the first time and expecting him or her to give you something,' she says. 'People need time to get to know you before they can mentor you.' Similarly, Dr Chan thinks it is a common networking mistake to send connection requests without adding a custom note. 'If I receive 100 connection requests, often only two to three of them have a thoughtfully written custom note attached to it,' she says. ' Every single time, I consider these requests first.' Ms Juita says: 'Strategic networking isn't about collecting contacts. It's about building a community of mutual support and shared professional growth.' She highlights the importance of finding ways to turn online connections into offline ones and setting healthy boundaries on what you should share . Being retrenched in 2018, she adds, taught her a hard lesson on the importance of establishing a personal brand that extends beyond a single company or employer . 'The traditional employment contract where loyalty guaranteed job security no longer exists,' she says. 'Companies restructure, industries evolve and even the most dedicated employees can find themselves unexpectedly looking for new opportunities. 'When that happens, your LinkedIn network isn't just helpful, but it can also be your lifeline.' 4. Is sharing your layoff a good idea? Posting about being #opentowork or a recent layoff has become a common LinkedIn trope, but is sharing such news online a good idea? Nearly all recruitment experts who spoke to ST say being open about a layoff is a useful way to put yourself on the radar of recruiters – and get some much-needed support from others . 'From a recruiter's perspective, layoffs are rarely seen as a negative mark, especially given today's economic climate,' says Ms Kris Tan, an associate partner at recruitment firm Page Executive. 'Authenticity is a valued quality in candidates, and many employers appreciate when individuals are transparent about their job search efforts.' Recruiters say it often comes down to discoverability. 'Recruiters monitor these posts, and such announcements can increase visibility and encourage referrals,' says Ms Ilse Clement, senior consultant for human resources and business support at recruitment agency Robert Walters Singapore. ' Be tactful and forward-looking. Frame it as a transition rather than a setback,' she adds. Ms Clement also notes that active LinkedIn users who post regularly and engage with others are more likely to appear in search results due to the platform's algorithm. As recruiters use keywords to find candidates, it is important that your profile includes relevant industry terms, skills and certifications. Candidates can also use LinkedIn's built-in 'Open to Work' feature to discreetly signal to recruiters that they are open to opportunities. Not everyone agrees with this approach. Dr Leon Qiu, a PhD graduate from the Singapore Management University and prolific LinkedIn poster , believes that signalling you are #opentowork – using the platform's built-in profile frame – can be 'self-sabotage '. 'It hurts your chances and negotiating power. It signals to the job market you are of poorer labour quality,' he says. ' Conversely, if you are open to hire, you have greater power and are perceived to be more capable. But it's just my hypothesis.' 5. Falling for the 'thought leadership' trap? Considering the effort required and the many reputational risks, why post on LinkedIn at all? The answer usually revolves around 'thought leadership', one of LinkedIn's most persistent buzzwords. The term refers to establishing oneself as an authority in a field. Advocates see it as genuine expertise that influences industries and drives change. Sceptics argue it is little more than dressed-up self-promotion, recycled ideas and meaningless business jargon. The desire for 'thought leadership' has created a lucrative industry around it , where it has become common practice for public relations agencies to sell thought leadership as a service – meaning the creation of op-eds and, at times, LinkedIn posts for a tidy sum . Ms Charu Srivastava, co-founder of communications consultancy firm TriOn & Co, says her firm works with clients on LinkedIn strategy and thought leadership content development. 'The main reason they come to us is to ensure quality, authenticity and a consistency of LinkedIn engagement,' she says. 'The clients have full oversight of the content, and we incorporate their personal voice and nuances in the content development process. This provides our clients with the balance of strategy and guidance with full ownership of their profiles.' But AI also adds a new dimension to this , with many users turning to generative AI tools like ChatGPT to create posts and insights. Nearly all experts ST spoke to highlighted mindlessly using AI without supervision to create a flood of generic content as a flaming red flag. 'One of the biggest mistakes is posting content just for the sake of it,' says Ms Srivastava. 'There is more of this happening on LinkedIn these days, due to the increasing use of GenAI to create content.' 'There is a running joke about how people post about the most mundane professional developments with a 'LinkedIn flair',' she adds, noting that many users inflate achievements, and conflate their personal and professional lives. Recognising the reality that many posts are not written by users themselves – the platform has even introduced a feature to use AI-generated responses as comments – is key to understanding that not all engagement on the platform is meaningful. As such, the quest for engagement on the platform can sometimes be a performative trap, reinforcing that virality is far from the equivalent of becoming a thought leader. This is especially true for those who create generic listicles and inspirational quotes without a clear point of view, say experts. Dr Chan says 'not everyone needs to build an audience on LinkedIn'. For entrepreneurs, consultants and executive coaches – as well as those seeking speaking opportunities or board positions, or being headhunted – active engagement makes sense. For others, it may not. Her advice: Focus on 'signature content' that stems from your unique experience and cannot be replicated by others . 'Likes on LinkedIn don't pay the bills,' she says. 'It is more financially productive to attract people who want to collaborate with you. Every post should increase your 'surface area of luck' if done correctly.' Check out the Headstart chatbot for answers to your questions on careers and work trends.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Queues at VEP application centres in Singapore, JB after news of enforcement from July 1 , Singapore News
SINGAPORE/JOHOR BAHRU — Waves of Singapore motorists showed up at Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) application and installation centres in Singapore and Johor Bahru a day after Malaysia announced that enforcement of the VEP will start on July 1. Singapore-registered vehicles entering the country from that date without a valid VEP will be fined RM300 (S$91), Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on June 4. The drivers will have to pay the fine and complete their VEP registration before leaving Malaysia. On June 5, motorists showed up at VEP centres in Woodlands in Singapore and Danga Bay in Johor Bahru because they needed help with signing up on the online portal or had problems activating their radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. VEP-registered vehicles need to have RFID tags installed and activated in order to make payments for Malaysian expressway tolls and the road charge when entering Johor via the two land checkpoints. The counters in Malaysia are operated by TCSens, Malaysia's ministry-appointed vendor for handling VEP registrations; while the one in Singapore is run by My VEP, a separate company, in collaboration with TCSens. Between 9.30am and 10.30am, around 40 people were seen queueing outside the My VEP office in Woodlands Industrial Park. They include motorists collecting their VEP RFID tags and those needing help with applications. Those without appointment slots were turned away. Around lunchtime at the TCSens inquiry centre in Danga Bay, more than 60 motorists were seen queueing to seek assistance from staff to troubleshoot their VEP registrations. The centre allows walk-in inquiries. Latiff Saleh, 64, who did not have an appointment, left the Woodlands centre in Singapore without getting any assistance. He needed help to terminate the existing VEP registration of his car, which was tagged to its previous owner, as he was not able to do so online. On hearing the June 4 announcement, he tried to log in to the VEP portal to restart the application process but faced difficulties. He had not decided whether to try his luck at Danga Bay soon or wait for the rush in Woodlands to subside before getting an appointment. Inquiries had been decreasing before the June 4 announcement, and appointment slots had been available daily since March, said Ng Poh Heng, manager of My VEP. But by the morning of June 5, all the slots until June 20 had been taken up, checks by The Straits Times found. Esther Chua, 50, received her VEP RFID tag earlier in 2025 but found that it could not be fitted to her car as required. The finance executive did not get around to exchanging the tag until after hearing the latest news. "The Malaysian side seems to keep changing their mind, so I didn't feel the need to get it fixed (so soon)," she said at Woodlands on June 5. The latest move to enforce the VEP comes eight years after the plan was first mooted in 2017. Its implementation was shelved twice, in 2019 and again in 2020. It was rolled out in October 2024, but foreign vehicles found without valid VEPs were given reminders to get registered and not the Danga Bay inquiry centre on June 5, waiting times were long, with motorists saying they began queueing from as early as 6am for the counter to open at 9am. One of the motorists, a 76-year-old Singaporean retiree who wanted to be known only as Chong, said that his VEP application was rejected in October 2024 because it was missing insurance documents. He said he never heard back after he replied with the documents. "Suddenly, they said they are going to enforce (the requirement) this July. This is very troublesome," he said, adding that the announcement on June 4 caught him by surprise. Singaporean interior designer Andrew Ho, 44, who arrived in Danga Bay at 9am, waited five hours to get help from TCSens staff. His VEP RFID tag could not be read at the Malaysian Customs gantry. A TCSens staff member at Danga Bay told ST that by 2.30pm, he had already assisted more than 100 motorists, compared with the daily number of 130 cars that the centre had handled in the past few months. Loke told reporters on June 4 that foreign-registered private vehicles have had ample time to be VEP-registered since the call to do so was made in May 2024. The minister added that 231,018 Singapore-registered private individually owned vehicles have signed up for the VEP, with 15 per cent yet to activate the RFID tags. Meanwhile, skip-the-queue VEP services in Singapore are seeing an uptick in inquiries. These services apply for the VEP on the motorists' behalf, saving drivers the hassle of making the online application or queueing at the counters. Derrick Heng, director of Radiant VEP, which offers skip-the-queue services, said inquiries have spiked since the latest announcement, after getting around 10 queries daily from the beginning of 2025. "We received about 30 inquiries on June 4, and our office (in Kaki Bukit) was full, with motorists coming in to apply for the permits at the last minute," he said. Jason Koay, director of accounting and secretarial firm Bizwise Management, which advertises its VEP application assistance service on Carousell, said he helped with 50 applications on June 5, up from two to three inquiries a day since March. A TCSens spokesman urged Singaporean motorists to register promptly for the VEP through the website, as it is anticipating a surge in applications and appointments at its four centres in Johor Bahru and Singapore. "Motorists must ensure that the VEP RFID tags are securely fixed on their vehicles and activated for use once they have received them," he added. [[nid:718706]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Stay the course on sustainability despite policy shifts, HSBC urges firms
HSBC's chief sustainability officer Julian Wentzel noted that rather than slowing down, Asia has accelerated in terms of its green transition efforts. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH SINGAPORE – Transitioning to a more sustainable future is a long-term journey, and companies in the region must stay the course despite shifting policies and sentiment, said HSBC's chief sustainability officer Julian Wentzel. Speaking to The Straits Times, he noted that Asia is in fact accelerating its sustainability efforts, with banks like HSBC maintaining their commitment even as some US counterparts pull back. In May, the bank launched the Future Industries Partnership – a three-year philanthropic programme to help climate-related start-ups access capital for sectors that find it harder to reduce their carbon emissions, such as chemicals, cement and mining. The aim is to help these sectors find solutions for safe, sustainable operations. Mr Wentzel, who took up the role of HSBC chief sustainability officer in February, said: 'No matter what is happening, we're an organisation that has been in existence for 160 years, and we're thinking about the next 160 years. And that is why we remain so committed to net zero by 2050.' He added that firms should avoid being influenced by 'policy whiplash'. 'You need to hold your path. You need to sustain what you believe in. And we believe this is important for our customers, for the societies in which we operate and critical for creating wealth for our shareholders because we see a real growth opportunity.' HSBC is doubling down on that resolve even after the US withdrew from the Paris Agreement earlier in 2025, when President Donald Trump took office. Major banks and asset managers such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have since pulled out of net-zero initiatives such as the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which brings together banks that want to align their lending and investing activities with net-zero emission targets. Mr Wentzel noted that rather than slowing down, Asia has accelerated in terms of its green transition efforts. 'What I see in the Asian region is a doubling down of commitment,' he said, noting that Asean and the Middle East are important markets for the bank. 'From the perspective of growth opportunities, we're seeing a clear trend of capital moving where the climate ambition has been matched with action, and that's this region,' he added. He added that globally, although there might be backlash against sustainability, companies are also still committed to the cause. 'There might be a level of 'greenhushing' to a degree, but I haven't seen a massive change in momentum behind what banks are doing in the US, or how companies are behaving,' he said. He was referring to the practice of companies under-reporting or withholding information on their sustainability targets and achievements, because they are afraid of backlash from stakeholders, for instance. 'I think most companies acknowledge that the problem exists and will persist, and they have an accountability and responsibility to their shareholders to sustain the path.' He added that companies also understand that if they lose momentum and fall behind in the transition, the consequences are acute. For example, he cited the fires in California and hurricane damage in Florida, all of which have driven up the cost of insurance and affected housing prices. 'Because that is real and tangible, even in the US, I think that keeps people highly focused on the challenge ahead, and the requirement, therefore, to sustain the path and the transition,' Mr Wentzel said. He added that markets like Singapore have an important part to play as a hub that mobilises capital, allows for the creation of new ideas and then transmits that to the rest of the region. Mr Wentzel, who was in Singapore in May for Temasek's annual sustainability event Ecosperity Week, said: 'I think Singapore is showing huge strides in shaping industry standards. 'It's also a great hub for catalysing capital, and promoting an early coal phase-out... So I think what Singapore is doing is creating the opportunity and the facilitation of capital flows.' HSBC has a target of providing and facilitating between US$750 billion (S$964 billion) and US$1 trillion of sustainable finance and investment by 2030. It has hit around US$400 billion as at end-2024. When asked if a larger proportion of the bank's financing will be allocated to sustainable projects going forward, Mr Wentzel said: 'We're going to move to a world where the definition is going to change. It's not going to be about sustainable finance. It's just going to be part of the economy. It's just finance.' He added that the bank will report on its targets but whether something counts as sustainable capital will be debatable. 'We're going to move to a world where the new energy system is going to be a sustainable system, and it will require a significant amount of capital, whether or not we then define that as sustainable capital. Ultimately the end goal is going to be that all new energy is going to be sustainable.' The most vital issue now, he said, is that the world does not lose momentum in sustainability. 'Climate change is a global phenomenon, and it's a global system, it's not bifurcated by geopolitical lines,' he said. 'So it's really important that everybody plays their part in helping to create a clean, sustainable future for us all... It's really about sustaining the path and not allowing anything to cause us to lose momentum in what is the fight for today, tomorrow, and the future.' Sue-Ann Tan is a business correspondent at The Straits Times covering capital markets and sustainable finance. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
