Levels of prejudice in Singapore remain unchanged from five years ago: IPS study
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CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Migrant workers who rescued driver invited to Istana
SINGAPORE: The seven migrant workers who rescued the driver from the Tanjong Katong sinkhole last weekend have been invited to meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Istana, his office said on Wednesday (Jul 30). The President's Office told CNA that it had invited the migrant workers involved in the sinkhole rescue, along other guests, to the Istana open house this Sunday. They are: Site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, 47, and his co-workers Mr Velmurugan Muthusamy, 27, Mr Poomalai Saravanan, 28, Mr Ganesan Veerasekar, 32, Mr Bose Ajithkumar, 26, Mr Narayanasamy Mayakrishnan, 25, and Mr Sathapillai Rajendran, 56. "There will be opportunities for interaction between the guests - including the migrant workers – and the president during the Istana open house," it added. The site where the sinkhole opened up along Tanjong Katong Road South is adjacent to an active PUB worksite involving the construction of a 16m-deep shaft to connect three existing sewer lines. A concrete component in the shaft "failed" at around 5.50pm last Saturday, according to the national water agency. Around the same time, a sinkhole formed on the adjacent road, causing a car to fall in. Mr Subbiah's quick thinking, along with that of his workers, helped pull the woman to safety with a rope within minutes. The seven migrant workers were on Sunday evening awarded with a Friends of ACE appreciation coin by Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash. The coin is named after Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group, a division that aims to support migrant workers' well-being. It is a "token of appreciation" presented to migrant worker volunteers and partners who have made meaningful contributions towards supporting and caring for the migrant worker community. "It is also awarded to migrant workers who demonstrate courage, initiative or public spiritedness in times of need," the ministry added. While there has been some discussion on social media about whether the coins were an appropriate way to recognise the migrant workers' heroic act, MOM said it was "encouraged" to receive feedback calling for more forms of appreciation. Charity and migrant worker support organisation ItsRainingRaincoats said on Wednesday that it had reached its donation campaign target of raising S$70,000 (US$54,260) for the seven migrant workers. "Thank you Singapore for your overwhelming kindness and generosity to the brave sinkhole rescue migrant worker heroes!" it said on its Facebook page, adding that the funds raised will be divided between the workers involved and transferred to their bank accounts. According to its campaign page, the donation raised S$72,241 from 1,639 donors.
Independent Singapore
4 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Maid says, 'Employers who take our phones away affect us deeply, as it's the only way we stay connected to our loved ones back home'
'I want to speak up for many of us who stay silent,' the post began, polite but firm. 'We may be domestic workers, but we are also human beings — with feelings, families, dreams, and the same need for respect and dignity as anyone else.' At the heart of the post was a simple plea: 'Limiting our phone use or taking our phones away affects us deeply.' For many helpers, their phones aren't just devices — they're their only connection to the families they left behind in search of better lives. 'It gives us peace and comfort to simply talk to our families or have a moment for ourselves,' she wrote. 'Trust and respect should be the foundation between employer and helper.' And yet — as the comments section quickly revealed — trust, in this case, is a battlefield. 'When trust is given, it's burned, literally!' One employer recounted a TikTok-fuelled disaster of flaming proportions. 'She would keep sleeping even while cooking,' the group member wrote. 'Burnt the food, burnt the pan, and even the backsplash. I had to change the whole kitchen backsplash!' The employer had also tried to be generous: 'Raised her salary from S$650 to S$900 in 3 months. Gave her freedom. What did I get in return? TikTok live till 5 am and sneaking out for prostitution.' Another employer's comment sounded more like the plot of a hidden camera sitcom — only it wasn't funny. 'I went to the toilet to pee, taking off my pants, and there it was — my helper doing a group video call in the toilet. Camera facing me. A whole group of helpers saw me half-naked.' The phone was promptly confiscated. 'You tell me — how to trust?' 'Phone use during working hours is dangerous, especially when it involves babies or the elderly…' One employer gently chimed in: 'We understand the need to stay connected to family. But excessive or distracted phone use during working hours is dangerous, especially when it involves babies or the elderly.' Another employer echoed the point: 'We don't ban phones. We just ask for them to be used during breaks, not while the baby's bathing or when cooking.' Still, not everyone was in the mood for diplomacy. 'Aiya. Don't come and BS! What 'trust' la?' one employer snapped. 'One hand feeding baby, one hand doing video call? How to trust?' 'Even in an office, there are rules. When you're paid to do a job, TikTok isn't part of the job scope…' The debate boiled down to one question: Is limiting phone use a necessary rule or a dehumanising punishment? A helper who commented in support of the original post said, 'I listen to YouTube and chat with family while working. I use Bluetooth, so no distractions. I still do my chores.' Another added, 'I fetch the kids to school. I don't bring my phone. I'm not addicted. Not all helpers abuse phone usage.' But employers weren't buying the 'not all helpers' defence. 'You want trust/freedom? Earn it!' one said. 'Even in an office, there are rules. When you're paid to do a job, TikTok isn't part of the job scope.' One employer even cited the TikTok app itself as Exhibit A: 'Go on TikTok Live. Out of 20 streams, 17 are helpers. Majority, not minority.' 'Yes, there are bad apples, but there are many responsible helpers too…' Buried under the angry exchanges and bad experiences was a quiet, thoughtful comment from a long-time employer: 'I've never imposed strict rules. My helper uses her phone during lunch and at night. If she abuses it, we'll talk. It's about balance.' Another said, 'Yes, there are bad apples, but there are many responsible helpers too. Let's not forget, some of us also had to work hard to gain our bosses' trust. Helpers deserve the same opportunity.' And perhaps that's the point. Respect and trust go both ways. No one is entitled to it, but everyone can earn it. 'A voice for all helpers…' 'Please be kind. Please lead with empathy. A little freedom means so much to us. No hate, just love,' the original post writer wrote out her final plea. While employers are clearly not looking to be extras in TikTok skits or surprise cameos in toilet video calls, maybe there's room for nuance: a phone-free kitchen, sure — but with a phone-available heart. Because sometimes, all someone needs after a hard day's work… is just to hear their child's or family's voice. In other news, one helper took the conversation a step further, flipping the narrative with this question: 'Dear employer, how do you just lie on the sofa every day holding your mobile phone? Do you realise that servants are also human and feel tired?' Fair play or double standards? You decide. Read the full story over here: Maid asks, 'Dear employer, how do you just lie on the sofa every day holding your mobile phone? Do you realize that servants are also human and feel tired?'
CNA
6 hours ago
- CNA
2026 school year to start on Jan 2, end on Nov 20
SINGAPORE: The 2026 school year for all Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens, primary and secondary schools will begin on Jan 2 and end on Nov 20. Students in Kindergarten 2 and from Primary 2 to 6 will report to school on Jan 5, said the ministry on Wednesday (Jul 30). Those entering their first year in junior colleges (JCs) and Millennia Institute (MI) will start on Feb 4, with the rest of the JC and MI students starting earlier, on Jan 12. VACATION PERIODS There are four vacation periods for schools, JCs and MI in 2026. For MOE kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, the first vacation period starts on Mar 14 and ends on Mar 22. The second begins May 30 and ends on Jun 28, the third runs from Sep 5 to Sep 13 and the fourth from Nov 21 to Dec 31. JCs and MI mainly share the first three vacation periods as MOE kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. However, the final vacation period for JC students in Year 1 and MI students in Years 1 and 2 will be from Nov 28 to Dec 31. JC students in Year 2 and MI students in Year 3 will have their vacation period from the end of the GCE A-Level examinations to Dec 31. There will also be three scheduled school holidays in 2026:
