Category: Current Affairs

Recently the internet took umbrage at a 60-year old man for making racist comments to an interracial couple.

The man in question has since been identified as a teaching staff with Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He is currently suspended from his teaching duties and police investigations are ongoing.

In case you missed the exchange, here’s the video:

Video from Dave Parkash’s Facebook 

The video has since drawn the attention of several Ministers and Members of Parliament. Some of them have also weighed in on this issue.

In particular, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam wrote a lengthy post on his Facebook expressing his concerns about racial tolerance in Singapore.

Some of the netizens were worried, if the lecturer has been discriminating his students based on race in school:

Others have called for stronger actions to be taken against the perpetrator.

However, there other netizens who tried to sympathize with the man by attempting to explain his bizarre behavior. Some theorized he must have been hurt before in similar interracial relationship:

Whatever his reason,  we think this is the question that is on most of our minds:

We sincerely hope the lecturer finally learns love is love.

According to weather forecast site, dayandtime, Singapore will continue to experience thunderstorms for the remaining part of May 2021

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the weather forecast for the upcoming weeks:

Additionally, the National Environment Agency (NEA) also predicts the thundery showers to happen in the morning and early afternoons.

However despite the rain, the daily average temperature remains between 25°C to 32°C.

With more community and unlinked Covid-19 infections springing up, the Multi-Ministry taskforce (MTF)  has announced tightening of Covid-19 safety measures.

These measures will take place with effect from 16 May 2021 to 13 June 2021.

Social Group Size reduced to 2

The overall number of social gathering will be reduced from 5 to 2. In addition, each household can only receive 2 distinct visitors a day. However, grandchildren being cared for by the grandparents will not be counted towards this limit.

No more dine-ins at F&B establishments

Dine-ins at F&B establishments, including food courts and hawker centers are not permissible. Only takeaways are allowed during this period.

Default Work from Home

Employers have to ensure employees who can work from home do so.  In addition, employers must not cross-deploy workers to multile worksites. Flexible working hours and staggered start time is also to be implemented.

No social gathering is allowed at work.

Cessation of Indoor “Mask Off” Activities

To reduce risks of transmission occurring in mask-off settings, services which require customers to remove the mask will not be allowed.

This includes, and is not limited to facial, sauna, singing and playing of wind-pipe instruments.

However, these restrictions will not apply to medical and dental consultation.

Weddings

Wedding receptions are not allowed. Solemnizations is capped at 50 people without Pre-event testing (PET) and 100 people with PET.

Funerals

Maximum of 20 people allowed all day.

Indoor & Outdoor Performances/ Cinemas

A maximum of 50 people are allowed without PET and 100 people with PET. No sale or consumption of food and drinks allowed. Both performers and audience are not allowed to remove their mask.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS), has predicted the first two weeks of May 2021 to be warm and wet. Short duration thundery showers are expected in the afternoon over parts of the island.

The showers, with frequent lightning may extend into the evening on a few days. Widespread thundery showers and wind are also forecasted on some days between the predawn hours and morning.

Here’s a breakdown of the weather forecast for the first two weeks of May 2021:

However, the daily temperature will remain between 24°C – 35°C on most days. There are also some warm nights, with night-time temperatures reaching 28°C.

Images via timeanddate

With the current COVID-19 situation becoming more stable, Singapore hopes to expand the air travel bubble with more countries.

Some of the other countries in which Singapore hopes to open the air travel bubbles include Australia, New Zealand, China, Brunei and Taiwan. The reason for doing so is because the spread of the Covid-19 virus is under control.

Currently, the Lion City has submitted a proposal to Taiwan and the authorities are currently studying it. If successfully, citizens from both cities can enjoy leisure travel without quarantine.

However, with the current pandemic situation, ups and downs may still be expected.

Image from Culture Trip 

Currently, Singapore and Hong Kong have confirmed their two-way air travel bubble on May 26. Travellers would be able to travel quarantine-free. However, they are required to take the Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and obtain a negative result. Once they arrive at the Hong Kong airport, they must take the Covid-19 test and remain there until the results are out.

Image from The Business Times 

 

 

 

There will be an upcoming BTO launch in May 2021. If you are looking for a new flat, you may want to consider taking part in the ballot.

There are 4 areas this time round: Bukit Merah, Geylang, Tengah and Woodlands. There would be a total of 3,870 units.

Bukit Merah

There are a total of 170 units of 3-room and 4-room flats. The nearest MRT station would be Telok Blangah and Labrador Park MRT station.

It is also located near Vivo City, Depot Heights Shopping Centre and Mount Faber Safra.

Geylang

There are a total of 1380 units of 2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room flats.

The nearest MRT would be Geylang, with both services of the circle and downtown line.

Some of the nearest facilities include PLQ  Mall, Singpost Centre and Tanjong Katong Complex.

Tengah

For Tengah, there are a total of 780 units of 2-room Flexi, 4-room and 5-room flats.

As it is still a developing area, the nearest train stations would be at Hong Kah and Tengah, which will be opening in 2026.

Some of the amenities include West Mall, Keat Hong Shopping Centre and Jurong East Sports Centre.

Woodlands

There would be a total of 1540 units of 2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room units at Woodlands, which has the most number of units for this upcoming launch.

The nearest MRT would be Woodlands, with the North-South line and Thomson-East Coast Line.

Some of the facilities include Causeway Point, 888 Plaza and Marsiling Mall.

The exact application date is not out yet, but interested applicants can keep a lookout under the BTO or SBF exercise.

Images from HDB 

We all know Old Changi Hospital as a historical site. Back then during the 1930s, it was known as the Royal Air Force Hospital. It then became a hospital for prisoners of war.

The building has closed down since 1997.

Now, the authorities are calling for suggestions via an ideas competition to re-purpose the Old Changi Hospital into an attraction, while preserving its peaceful and rustic character.

The competition, called Charmingly Changi, seeks ideas from the members of the public to enhance the “rustic charm” and “tranquility”.

Top submissions will receive cash rewards of up to S$6,000.

Netizens Gives innovative suggestions

After the call for ideas was launched, netizens were quick to provide innovative suggestions of the creative use of space. Many of them wanted Old Changi Hospital to be branded as a haunted house attraction.

Of course, there were other suggestions including converting the Old Changi Hospital into a shopping mall, museum and hotel.

If you have other interesting suggestions, you can submit your ideas online.

Images from 360 snapshots 

Over the weekends, Singapore recorded the highest rainfall in 39 years. There were also reports of flash floods happening in various parts of the country.

According to several new meteorological reports, the wet weather will continue to stay for the remaining weeks of April 2021.

Short-duration moderate to heavy thundery showers with frequent lightning is also expected in the afternoons.

During the thunderstorms, the temperature is expected to dip to 22°C. However, the daily maximum temperature will continue to be high, hitting between 33-34°C on most days.

Remember to bring along an umbrella when you go for your lunch breaks these two weeks!