Latest news with #ShinMinDailyNews
AsiaOne
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Singapore-registered cars must have COE of over 6 months to apply for VEP, says Malaysian transport minister, Singapore News
Owners of Singapore-registered cars with a COE of six months or less will not be able to apply for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) to enter Malaysia, according to Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke. These motorists will have to extend their COE in order to qualify for the permit, he told Shin Min Daily News recently. Loke explained that this policy — set by Malaysia's Road Transport Department — aims to prevent the illegal resale of Singapore cars in Malaysia as well as the manufacturing of "cloned cars" using licence plates or identities of scrapped cars. The minister compared the requirement to how passports must have a minimum six months' validity for international travel. "Similarly, if a car owner decides to extend the COE for their vehicle, they must show proof of the new COE validity before they can apply for or renew their VEP," he said. Malaysia began enforcing the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) requirement for Singapore-registered vehicles on July 1, with errant drivers facing a RM300 (S$91) fine and having to complete their VEP registration before leaving the country. Ten Singaporean motorists were fined within the first hour of enforcement, reported the New Straits Times (NST). There was also a surge in VEP applications from Singaporean motorists leading up to July 1. On June 30, dozens of drivers crowded the TCSens VEP enquiry centre at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru, which has since begun operating 24 hours daily to handle the demand, reported The Straits Times. [[nid:720025]]
New Paper
a day ago
- General
- New Paper
Resident complains as neighbour turns shoe rack into Shopee collection point
A Bedok resident has lodged a complaint after his neighbour converted a shared corridor space into a parcel collection point, allowing members of the public to pick up Shopee deliveries at all hours. These collections extend late into the night, causing repeated disturbances and raising safety concerns, said the resident. Kelvin Chen, 45, who has lived at Block 522 along Bedok North Avenue 1 for seven years, told Shin Min Daily News that he began having issues with his neighbour last year. "It used to be peaceful. But after one of their children moved out early last year, the situation began to change. They started placing more and more items outside their flat - even plants were placed on both sides of my doorway. I spoke to the lady of the house, and she eventually removed some of them," he said. Collections late into the night According to Mr Chen, the neighbour later repurposed a shoe cabinet outside their unit as a parcel collection station for Shopee deliveries, allowing members of the public to collect their packages. Photos provided by Mr Chen show a four-tier shoe rack that appears to be holding more than 20 parcels. "She mentioned it to me when she first started. As a neighbor, I agreed - as long as it didn't block access to my home or create any obstruction." However, the situation has escalated. Mr Chen said that people come by every day to pick up parcels, with collections extending late into the evening. He eventually reported the issue to the STOMP community platform. He said: "For Shopee parcels collections, it should be personally handed over, not by using a shoe rack as pigeonholes." Netizens weigh in On STOMP's website, some netizens agreed that the neighbour's actions were uncalled for: "My opinion is that this collection point owner is irresponsible to place the Shopee items outside the unit. Anyone can easily take these items and walk away." However, others suggested that the resident's reactions were exaggerated: "Is it really true that collection of parcels creates noise disturbance? Singaporeans complain too much about mundane matters that fall out of line." Others empathised with Mr Chen, acknowledging that the disturbance stems from the daily presence of strangers at his doorstep. Shopee: Temporarily paused operations at collection point In response to STOMP's queries, a Shopee spokesperson said on July 11: "We value the feedback and have temporarily paused operations at the collection point while we review the current set-up. "We are actively engaging the operator to explore improvements aligned with Shopee's guidelines, ensuring that parcel collections are managed safely and with due consideration for neighbouring residents. "Shopee remains committed to upholding responsible practices across all residential collection points." Town council: Items blocking corridor have been removed Addressing the issue of corridor obstructions, the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council confirmed that they have spoken to the resident involved. "The items blocking the corridor have been cleared," said a spokesman, adding that the town council continues to educate residents and conducts regular inspections to maintain cleanliness in common areas and prevent the buildup of clutter.
New Paper
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Stefanie Sun anonymously donated to Guizhou flood victims: singer Han Hong
Stefanie Sun made an anonymous donation to flood victims in the Chinese province of Guizhou through Chinese singer Han Hong's foundation, the latter recently revealed on social media. "The Ms Sun whom I respect: you donated secretly again. Time and time again, you wouldn't let me talk about this, but why do we have to be secretive when doing good things? She always quietly and warmly conveys love," wrote Han. "We accept this kindness and are forever grateful! Thank you to my dear friend Stefanie Sun the teacher, see you on stage." According to Shin Min Daily News, Rongjiang county and Congjiang county in Guizhou's Qiandongnan prefecture suffered severe floods in June, with many houses destroyed. The Hanhong Love Charity Foundation then started relief efforts, with plans to donate 2 million yuan (S$360,000 dollars). It then received an anonymous donation with the instruction: "Give priority to the elderly, children and pregnant women." Han later confirmed that the donor was Sun, and decided to "expose" it. "Thank you... but I won't respond to the above!" said Sun, 46, in response to Shin Min's queries. Sun has reportedly made multiple donations to charity. When heavy rains struck Henan in 2021, a volunteer revealed that a "Ms Sun from Singapore" donated 600,000 yuan through an anonymous account, designated for purchasing speedboats and drinking water. Since 2004, Sun has helped build a shelter for poor children in the Indian city of Kolkata. For the past 20 years, she has also sponsored the education of many students in Yunnan and Gansu from primary school to university. Five libraries in remote mountainous areas are reportedly named after Sun, who helped build them.
New Paper
3 days ago
- General
- New Paper
Smell of stinky tofu at Yishun pasar malam is 'unbearable'
Stinky tofu, with its pungent odour, is something you either love or hate - there is no in-between. The "unbearable" smell of the Chinese fermented tofu at a pasar malam (night market) next to Yishun MRT station has drawn the ire of a member of the public. When a Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the market, a slight odour could already be detected from the MRT station, which intensified with the breeze. There were two stinky tofu stalls located in opposite corners of the pasar malam, separated by 20 to 30 stalls. The pasar malam temporarily occupied the space next to the station. SCREENGRAB: GOOGLE MAPS Mr Huang, 40, does not enjoy the smell of stinky tofu, but felt that there was no need to complain: "Stinky tofu smells like this. After all, people are just trying to make a living." Another interviewee, 82-year-old Mr Huang, had a similar sentiment. He acknowledged the strong smell but pointed out that many enjoy eating it, and saw no issue with its sale. An employee at one of the stinky tofu stalls told the Chinese daily that they had taken measures to reduce the odour after receiving complaints. Ms Ouyang, 32, said that her boss has installed a pipe to vent fumes outside the pasar malam. The frying area is semi-enclosed, while an exhaust hood helps prevent the fumes from spreading to the surrounding area. "We know that stinky tofu has a strong smell and we don't want it to affect other stalls and customers, so the boss specially installed this big pipe to minimise the impact." The stall installed a pipe several metres long. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS A patron of the store, 24-year-old Ms Zhuang, joked that stinky tofu is like durian - some adore it, others detest it. She believed that such stalls help to diversify the offerings at the pasar malam. The other stinky tofu store has also installed an exhaust hood and a pipe extending outside the market. However, a store employee declined to comment further as their boss was not present. The Yishun pasar malam, which operated from June 28 to July 13, will be relocated.
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- AsiaOne
Woman injured after PMD collision in Pasir Ris, lodges police report, Singapore News
A woman was left with cuts and bruises after she was allegedly knocked over by a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) rider on an overhead bridge in Pasir Ris. In a post to the Complaint Singapore Facebook page on July 13, user Mel Yap stated that the incident occurred that morning at around 7.15am near Block 124, Pasir Street 11. Calling it a "hit and run", she wrote that she had been walking downslope on the bridge when the PMD collided into her. She also called for the rider to apologise. "If [the] rider comes forward and apologises and compensates my bills (with receipt), I won't pursue further," she wrote on Facebook, with accompanying photos showing the injuries she sustained to her right palm, left elbow and right knee. She made a police report later. In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the 49-year-old woman accountant described how she and her friends had been walking on the overhead bridge when she heard a sound from behind. She turned and saw a man who looked to be in his 20s on his PMD. Although Yap and her friends were walking in a single file, the path was narrow. The man did not pass immediately and appeared to be waiting for them to give way to him, said Yap. Yap said she told the rider to dismount from the PMD and push his device, as she believed PMDs should not be ridden on overhead bridges. Fell backwards, then forwards Yap claimed that not only did the rider ignore her advice to dismount, he also tried to squeeze past the group. In the process, a part of the PMD allegedly hit Yap, causing her to fall. "I fell backwards, but as he didn't stop, I tried to grab him and fell forwards," said Yap. "I shouted at him but he ignored me and left." Yap told Shin Min that as the path was strewn with small rocks, she ended up scraping her elbows, palms and knees, which bled. After cleaning her wounds with water, she went to a clinic before making a police report. Yap said that her medical bill cost $150 and the wound on her right knee continued to bleed after 12 hours. Although her injuries were not serious, she was issued two days of medical leave and she said her body was still aching. She reiterated that she is willing to drop the case if the rider comes forward to apologise, stating that he "should have a sense of responsibility". "There are often cases of errant riding in the area. The rider should have gotten down to push his device. I'm lucky, but the situation would be more serious if it were an elderly person who fell." In a statement to AsiaOne, police confirmed that a report has been lodged and investigations are ongoing. A photo taken by Shin Min Daily News at the site showed a "no riding" sign at the bridge. In spite of this, the reporter observed at least one cyclist or personal mobility device user crossing the overpass every two to three minutes. According to the Land Transport Authority guidelines, PMDs such as e-scooters are only allowed on cycling paths while e-bikes can only be used on cycling paths and on the road. [[nid:714126]] candicecai@
