Latest news with #AsiaOne
AsiaOne
17 hours ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Poly grad hopes to solve food delivery spillage problem with innovative GRIPBox, Singapore News
In 2022, she got a D7 for Mathematics for her O-level exam. Three years later, Nallathambi Kavya is not only a fresh poly graduate but a founder of a start-up named GRIP, which aims to solve the woes of food delivery riders. The product, GRIPBox, is a storage box which helps to solve the problem of spillage. It is now in the testing stage and Kavya, 20, is still collecting feedback from delivery riders before she refines the product again. "People say (GRIPBox) is very practical, easy to use and innovative," she told AsiaOne. This achievement is a world away when she failed her O-level Math because she and her family tested positive for Covid-19 on the day of the exam, causing her to miss it. The poor Math score meant she could not apply to study an engineering-related course in a polytechnic via the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE). Undeterred, Kavya, who told AsiaOne she wanted to pursue engineering "no matter what", focused on securing a place in polytechnic through the Direct Admissions Exercise (DAE), and was accepted into Republic Polytechnic's (RP) Common Engineering diploma programme. The DAE allows students with ineligible qualifications under the JAE and Early Admissions Exercise to apply directly to a polytechnic for admission. "I'm very grateful for (being able to enroll) because when I received my O-level results, I really thought that I couldn't make it into poly at all," she said. Students enrolled in a Common programme have up to a year to decide on a specific diploma, and Kavya successfully transferred to the Diploma in Engineering Design with Business course after one semester. She told AsiaOne that her journey as an entrepreneur started when a classmate who worked as a part-time delivery rider complained about his job struggles, which inspired her group to zero in on exploring storage options for motorcyclists as their final-year project. After completing the project, Kavya continued developing the idea and decided to focus on a target audience of food delivery riders. Unlike many of her peers who took on internships, she chose the alternative five-month entrepreneurship programme by RP, which allows students to develop their business ideas. The "solopreneur" wanted to first tackle the "common" and "relevant" issue of food spillage, leading her to create GRIPBox. The insulated box is supported by a frame and split horizontally into two by a removeable compartment. The bottom section features six stretchable velcro straps designed to hold takeaway cups, while the netting at the bottom is for containers holding liquids such as soup. Other packaged foods can be placed on the top section. Users can also utilise an S-hook to hook items on the frame, if desired. Kavya revealed that her biggest challenge during the five months was managing time. "It's not like a nine to five internship where after five, you have your own time. As a as a business owner, you're on call like 24/7, you need to be up and going." But she added that she had a strong support system made up of friends and family, as well as her mentors who would check in on her and give advice. Kavya also explained that the cost of the box depends on whether she adds or removes any features in the refining process, but she will keep it as affordable as possible. Currently, she is waiting for the results of her university applications, hoping to pursue a degree in Business Administration. She is also working on other products that will aid food delivery riders and hopes to launch GRIPBox by the end of 2025. [[nid:717751]]
AsiaOne
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Zheng Geping gets surprise birthday celebration on drama set, Entertainment News
He thought it was time to film, only to be surprised with a chorus. Local actor Zheng Geping turned 61 yesterday (May 27), and his family as well as the crew and cast members on the set of their drama The Cellphone Swap threw him a surprise celebration. In a video posted on his Instagram account, his actress wife Hong Huifang brings out what appears to be a chocolate cake while the crew, his daughter Tay Ying, son Calvert and soon-to-be son-in-law Wu Sihan sing him a birthday song. "I thought they brought my scene forward before lunch break, didn't expect this! I was caught off-guard!" said Geping in the caption. According to Tay Ying, it was planned by the production team and she thanked them for involving the family in the "sweet surprise". The celebration didn't stop there as the family of five also had dinner at the Chinese restaurant The Black Pearl. The Cellphone Swap — which also stars Star Search 2024's second runner-up Jona Chung, Zhai Siming, Kendra Sow, Angel Lim and Raynold Tan — delves into the phone-addicted generation, exploring how young people navigate self-discovery and seek a more meaningful life. [[nid:718407]] syarifahsn@ No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
'We are just the middlemen': How property agents grapple with landlords' discriminatory preferences, Singapore News
Over the past four years, Yue Kaixin regularly advises landlords on how to maximise their rental income. But the last thing the property agent from ERA Singapore would do is go against their choice of tenants — even when some insist, "No Indians". "I still had to obey them," Yue said. "I can't tell them what to do. If not, do you think I'll still have a business?" Yue is among several property agents in Singapore who told AsiaOne they are reluctant to confront landlords who refuse to rent to tenants from minority races. Other agents, on the other hand, have to grapple with landlords who show prejudice against members of the LGBTQ community. One property agent, who has worked in real estate for over a decade, recalled feeling awkward early in his career when landlords made it clear they did not want to rent to Indians. Some of these preferences stem from stereotypes that Indian tenants, both Singaporeans and expats, have a nonchalant attitude towards maintaining the property and they cook food with strong smells. The PropNex agent, who declined to be named, said that he feels conflicted at times — between doing his job and doing what is morally right — but has never pushed back against landlords with such requests. "Some might think it's racist, but there a thin line between racism and preferences," he said. "We are at the end of the day, just the middlemen. The neutral party. We neither condone nor accept such behaviours." It's not just about race But bias in the rental market extends beyond race, William Tan, a property agent from Singapore Realtors Inc, said. He recalled an incident last year when a landlord accepted an offer, before withdrawing the next day after finding out that the identity of the tenants. "They've already put in the deposit, but during the process of doing the paperwork, they had to present their passports," he said. "That was when the landlord started questioning on how come the tenants are two males… so that's when I told them they are actually gay parents with two biological kids." As a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Tan said the incident conflicted with his values. 'We're not powerful enough to stop rental discrimination,' he said. 'All we can do is stay professional and follow guidelines from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).' 'Not outright discrimination' To Yue, landlords who refuse to rent to someone who is "Indian or PRC [People's Republic of China]" are not necessarily racist. He argued that some of them may have had prior negative experiences with tenants from these groups. But he urged landlords against dismissing potential tenants based on stereotypes, saying that it does not make business sense. The property agent recalled that when he and his wife first put their home up for rent, they initially preferred only Chinese or Western tenants. Then came an enquiry from an Indian family, which Yue said: "I discussed with my wife on whether we should ask them to come for house viewing or just say, 'sorry' and give an excuse [to reject them]. "But we thought it's better to give everyone a fair chance… it turns out they were really good tenants." Heikal Shafrudin, co-founder of real estate agency Herohomes, said that it is more nuanced for landlords renting out their rooms in their homes. For such instances, preferences around age and gender do show up since it is akin to "finding a housemate". "Sometimes, it is not outright discrimination, but more about lifestyle fit or perceived safety," Shafrudin said. [[nid:682399]] What does the law say? A 2022 survey of more than 2,000 Singapore residents by CNA and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) found that over 90 per cent said they would rent a property they own to a Singaporean Chinese. In contrast, only 62 per cent of those surveyed said they would accept Singaporean Malay tenants in a property they own, and Singaporean Indian tenant at 57 per cent. The rights of all Singaporeans are protected under law, with Article 12 of the Constitution saying: "There shall be no discrimination against citizens of Singapore on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law… or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment." The Ministry of National Development, however, maintained that rental decisions are ultimately private agreements between property owners and tenants. "Similar to how a tenant has the freedom to choose his accommodation, a landlord has the right to decide whom he would like to rent his property to," the ministry said, in response to a parliamentary question in 2022 about measures to prevent rental discrimination. "While we have a framework that protects the rights of all Singaporeans, we cannot rely on the law in every instance and will need to continue to deepen mutual understanding and empathy across different groups to build mutual trust, respect and understanding in our community." 'Landlords entitled to choose their tenants' Dr Mathew Mathews, IPS' principal research fellow and head of its Social Lab, said that while Singapore has robust laws to protect racial harmony, the lack of specific measures against rental discrimination stems largely from the complexity of proving such cases. He also drew parallels to workplace discrimination, which he said took many years and consistent advocacy before comprehensive legislation was introduced, despite longstanding concerns from minority groups. "In the context of property rentals, landlords are generally entitled to choose their tenants, and their decisions are often based on subjective assessments," Dr Matthews said. "This makes it difficult to clearly establish when a refusal is rooted in discrimination rather than other legitimate considerations." No discriminatory advertisements CEA's regulatory guidelines require agents to be sensitive to the multicultural nature of Singapore's society. They must also advise landlords against placing advertisements that are discriminatory, offensive or stereotyped in nature against any race, religion or group in society. Shafrudin empathised with his colleagues who feel pressured to carry out their landlords' discriminatory preferences. But what does he tell property agents who are facing such scenarios? "They have to understand why [the landlords have these preferences]," Shafrudin said. "Whether it is just personal bias against a specific group or a based on a bad experience or misunderstanding. "We will try to reframe the conversation [with landlords] back to the lease terms rather than identity… if they are concerned about cleanliness, then we can address these with specific clauses in the agreement. "If it crosses the line into blatant discrimination, then [property agents] have every right to walk away if they are not comfortable." Dr Matthews said that property agents should also be empowered and encouraged to educate landlords about Singapore's stance against rental discrimination, and remind them that such practices are not socially acceptable. [[nid:498986]] 'Diversity friendly' property listings, but are they really? Several property search platforms have also implemented various measures, which they said addresses rental discrimination and promote inclusivity. and PropertyGuru allow property agents to tag listings as 'Diversity Friendly' or 'Everyone Welcome' respectively — signaling that all renters are accepted regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. In the release of its 2024 Sustainability Report published on May 21, PropertyGuru said that one in four rental listings - or around 10,000 of the 40,000 on the platform - are tagged as "Everyone Welcome". As of May 28, around 2,300 of its 35,000 listings in are "Diversity Friendly". Other popular property search platforms, such as and EdgeProp, do not have this feature. Property agent Tan remains sceptical about whether properties tagged as welcoming to all on search portals truly live up to that label, even if he sees it as a 'nice gesture'. "It does not necessarily reflect what the landlord wants," he said. "When an agent ticks that box, it may be just so that the listing will get more eyeballs." Checks by AsiaOne found that even for some of listings that are tagged as inclusive-friendly, they still include phrases indicating the kind of tenants who are "preferred". An 'Everyone welcome' listing, published on May 20, says the home is 'suitable' for singles and families, but "no Indian". Responding to AsiaOne's queries, PropertyGuru said that its platform prohibits indicating preferences such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, or any physical or mental disability in its listings. Cecile Corda, head of sustainability at PropertyGuru Group, said that all its listings with the Everyone Welcome tag are reviewed for discriminatory language prior to posting. "The tag is suspended if the listing has been reported for discrimination. PropertyGuru reviews all cases, and our moderation team contacts the agent to work with him or her to amend the listing," she added. Users can also 'report' the listing on our platform for discriminatory behaviours at any stage of the property search process. Unconscious bias training for agents Property agents are also offered unconscious bias training and guidance on avoiding discriminatory behaviour, according to Corda. "Through continued education and open dialogue, we are working towards an ideal world where the Everyone Welcome feature will no longer be needed. It is a journey, and everyone has an important role to play," Corda said. Like PropertyGuru, a spokesperson for said that it has mechanisms, such as manual curation and keywords monitoring, to moderate listings that contain discriminatory language. "We do not track [the prevalence of discriminatory listings over time]," but based on observations, it has decreased." Tan believes that perceptions of tenants from minority groups in Singapore are gradually improving. Still, the question of who makes a 'good' tenant remains a topic people tend to avoid "making a big fuss about". "They will say, 'Oh, we don't discriminate. We tolerate," he said. [[nid:530162]] chingshijie@
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Sport
- AsiaOne
'He doesn't see the age gap': How a 93-year-old with vision loss and a 61-year-old bonded over bowling , Singapore News
At 93, not many people will want to spend time in a bowling alley, let alone play the game. But William Thong is different. He may be just seven years away from the century mark, but his passion for the game not just keeps him active — the sport helped him find a friend for life. Not many bowlers wanted to play with Thong because of his age, but when Alfred George Pillay, 61, stepped in, it began what is now a lasting friendship. It started when Thong requested Pillay to play with him during a Fun Bowl competition eight years ago. "After we got the pairing, we haven't been separated since," Pillay, an emcee, told AsiaOne. Now they meet up at Starbowl bowling alley in Bukit Batok about three to four times a week. When AsiaOne visited them on Tuesday morning (May 27), they were bowling side by side. Pillay added that a lot of senior bowlers did not want to play with Thong as he moved slower due to age. A glaucoma diagnosis about 25 years ago meant that Thong lost the vision in his right eye. He can still see with his left eye but his vision is not fully intact. "The dimension is not dimensional one," Thong said, as he has to estimate where to aim the ball, but that has not curbed his enthusiasm. With a few confident steps, Thong tosses the ball and it slowly but surely strikes all 10 pins, earning him a high-five from Pillay. Pillay added that Thong has beaten him in a few games. "I still bowl with one leg," Thong said. A feat, since most seniors play with both feet on the ground for balance. "He (Pillay) doesn't see the age gap," Thong said. "He's very good." Friends within and beyond the bowling alley When they meet, they usually bowl together from 10am until noon. In the past, Thong's wife used to accompany him to the bowling alley but now she is confined to their home due to dementia. Pillay recalled Thong's wife saying: "Do you know he bowls better when you are around? If not, he's very bo chap (indifferent)". "So, whenever I'm available I will come and support him," Pillay said. After their bowling sessions, the duo sometimes enjoys a cup of teh tarik before Pillay sends Thong home to Chua Chu Kang. As Thong likes to sing, the duo sings church hymns together on the way home. During one of their conversations, Thong confided in Pillay, saying, "All my friends have passed away." For Thong's birthday party in 2024, Pillay recalled Thong's daughter telling him: "You are the only friend invited." While Pillay could not attend due to food poisoning, he remembers having lunch with Thong one day in 2022 when the latter suddenly said: "It's my birthday." Gaining online attention In February, Pillay started posting TikTok videos of Thong bowling, as the latter enjoys watching videos of himself in action. The most popular video has garnered over 74,000 views as at May 27 and bowlers have started following his page, according to Pillay. "Please represent Singapore," one netizen said. "Uncle power!" another commenter wrote. @alfredgeorgepillay Maybe the oldest active bowler in the World #bowling #lovelife #inspireothers ♬ It's Amazing - DeeDee Chipmunk When asked about his TikTok videos, Thong happily opened his phone and started scrolling through Pillay's page. Said Pillay: "He doesn't stop. He keeps looking at them every day." "I mean, as long as he's happy. Life is very short." Thong's online fame has also translated into real life, as young bowlers greet him affectionately as Uncle Thong and often stop to watch him play. On Wednesday (May 28), Thong plans to take part in the senior Fun Bowl competition at Starbowl bowling alley. His friend will not be there to support him due to work commitments, but Pillay says he plans to sign Thong up for the senior category in the Singapore Bowling Open in September. At 93, Thong will likely be the oldest contestant. "We must inspire before we expire," Pillay said. [[nid:713335]]
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Tampines West residents seek witnesses after community cat found dead next to bin with 'blunt force trauma', dislocated jaw, Singapore News
A Tampines West community cat was found dead next to a rubbish bin last Saturday (May 24) wrapped in toilet paper plastic packaging and brochure papers. The male cat, named Sunshine, was found at the void deck of Block 897 Tampines Street 81 by a resident at around 7am to 8am, according to a Facebook post. Photos showed Sunshine with blood on its paws and muzzle, as well as stains on the brochure papers surrounding the cat. A latex glove was also found among the papers and plastic. Victoria Lim, one of Sunshine's feeders and a resident of the area, wrote in the Facebook post that the community cat had been living in the neighbourhood "for the past 10 years". Sunshine's feeders are appealing for witnesses. According to the post, a vet determined that Sunshine had sustained blunt trauma to its head and its jaw was dislocated. Speaking to local media, Lim shared that based on the vet's assessment, the cat's injuries could have resulted from a vehicle collision, a blow to the head or a fall from height. But the vet did not rule out abuse as well. The incident has raised concern among netizens in the Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats Facebook group, where Lim had published the post. "Community cats are being killed within days of each other," one netizen said, seemingly referencing the recent spate of cat deaths. "The cats don't deserve this, as a cat lover, my heart is really pained," the person added. Jeffy Soh, another Tampines West resident, shared in a separate Facebook post about Sunshine's "tragic death", describing the community cat as "our carpark attendant". He added that Sunshine was always seen with two other cats, who were later found by him and other residents, "shivering and afraid". While he acknowledged that some might assume Sunshine was hit by an oncoming car, Soh noted that Sunshine was found next to a bin, and that were "no bloodstains nearby" nor at Sunshine's "usual area" at the carpark. "Is this murder or an accident?" He wrote in his post. Another Tampines West resident whom AsiaOne spoke to shared that the recent cases of animal deaths has caused residents in her block to be more cautious of others. The 25-year-old, who wished to be known only as Li, shared that following the incident, the beds, water and food booths that were set up for strays in her void deck have been "moved to areas closer to [the] doors rather than out in the open". Some residents have also moved the stray cat stations within the filming radius of CCTV cameras. AsiaOne has reached out to Lim as well as NParks for more information. Number of animal victims at 12-year high: SPCA According to a 2024 report by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), there were 961 confirmed reports of animal cruelty and welfare concerns involving 2,190 animal victims — the highest number in 12 years. Cats accounted for more than half of the animal victims out of other species at 1,330. The Tampines West case is also the third public incident where a community cat was found with severe injuries. In a similar incident two weeks ago, a Punggol community cat was found dead with blunt force trauma to the head which could have resulted from a traffic accident, said NParks in a May 17 statement. Gan Kim Yong had also addressed the incident in a Facebook post on May 15, where he encouraged Singaporeans to be a "gracious society" and "show kindness and compassion" to animals. Earlier on May 9, an Yishun community cat named King Kong was found dead with its intestines exposed and eyes gouged out, sparking widespread outrage. In a Facebook post on the same day, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam condemned the act, calling it "appalling cruelty". Currently under the Animals and Birds Act, first time offenders convicted of animal cruelty can be jailed for up to 18 months and fined up to $15,000, or both. Repeat offenders may face up to three years in jail and face a fine of up to $30,000, or both. [[nid:718114]]
