Category: Singapuraku

38 Year Old Jobless PMET Divorced, Distressed

Hi Gilbert,

I truly need help I am feeling suicidal at times. My life has been a challenge since the beginning of my life. I try to get pass through by trying to compare myself to the less fortunate. I do not know how much longer I can hold on. I hope we can meet up and talk.

I also hope you can publish the following at your site. Hopefully, there would be some like-minded readers who can provide some insight about my situation. If you can, please edit it for me.

I am just stating facts and grieves of my life, if you want to be critical, please step out of your comfort zone and reply at a logical level. I am a true-blue Singaporean with roots as deep as 3 generations, aged 38.

While in Secondary school, I started my working life sweeping the streets, literally. My single mom couldn’t afford to send me to a computer school after secondary school which was my interest. Thus, I have to work on school nights and weekends as a hotel cleaner from 11pm to 7am but that took a toll on my health and my education. Not to mention I had family issues. Unable to handle it, I dropped out of school, worked my way up slowly. After a few years of local jobs and my own business, I started my career in a multi-national company with rapid rise to management level. However, armed with only a O level cert, I could not get above $4.5k salary even though the role usually gets more, alot more.

When I tried to get a new job, I couldn’t as I was not “educated” enough. I even remember when I went for an interview with a local hiring agency, the director of the company asked me why am I getting paid $4.5k with only a O level education. Moving forward, everyone wants to negotiate my salary dependent on my previously-earned salary.

This would not happen in any other 1st world nation as they would not only look at your education only but your ability and the job role they offering as well. A culture only present in Singapore among developed nations!

To SINGAPORE HR Folks : Does it really matter, what I drew in my previous role? Would you pay me a roadsweeper’s salary if I did 6 months of sweeping the roads as I cannot get employed? Staff remuneration should be based on the fact that what role you are offering, and a competitive remuneration to ensure retention.

I stopped work so I can go after a Masters as a maturde candidate. I have passed my Masters without even taking a degree course. For those who are wondering, how? I not ashamed to say I am pretty smart (Singapore Mensa tested at 142 IQ) and anyone I know would easily tell you I have pretty high E.Q. as well. I never needed to go to school to learn these stuff, I read or learn through life experiences and pretty much grasp almost anything.

8 months have almost passed since completion of my Masters, and I still don’t have a job. I was even willing to take up non-IT roles as Condo Manager for $3k. Though I was able to impress in the interview, I was not offered a role. Only to find out later, that it was likely they were only willing to offer $2.8k for the position, which is the same they are willing to offer an inexperienced staff with diploma.

I cannot get government jobs or government-related jobs which are advertised everyday, simply because I do not fit the profiled definition of a normal candidate.

I have about $100k in the CPF unusable. I can’t afford a HDB, as I need to be employed and I cannot apply for BTO. Furthermore, I went through a divorce, I cannot get a HDB BTO home without waiting for 3 years after my divorce. I would be 39 by then, and by the time I get a home, I would be 45.

I now sit in J.B. (Malaysia) still applying for jobs in Singapore while trying to figure out if I can start out on my own. Even trying to be an entrepreneur in Singapore is difficult, I cannot afford an office location. I cannot apply for grant for entrepreneurship as I have a previous company when I started my IT business. This is restricting me from applying for a government grant under the entrepreneurship programme.

All those people who support the current political administration, please tell me what is wrong with the picture? Am I not hardworking? Am I dependent on the government to spoon feed me? Am I too demanding?

I am stressed to the extreme, though I don’t show it to people much. I still put up a fighting front, as no one likes a person who complaints too much. But it is getting to me, I needed an outlet.

I need to know that there are also people like me who seep through the gap so I don’t feel so alone.

Steve

Source: www.transitioning.org

August 10, 2017
Yishun Residents: No Problem If Halimah Yacob Continues Living In The Estate If She Becomes President

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Yishun is an unassuming public housing flat that could possibly enter Singapore political history.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, built in 1987, is home to Madam Halimah Yacob.

She told reporters she was very comfortable in her HDB home and hopes to continue living there with her family, as they have done for over two decades, even if she is elected to the top office in the land.

Traditionally, the Istana serves as the official presidential residence and office. “I don’t see why I can’t continue (living in a HDB flat) unless there are other considerations like security, for instance, because I know it can be quite a nightmare to ensure security in public housing,” the 62-year-old presidential hopeful told reporters on Sunday night. “Other than that, I see no reason why I cannot continue.”

A number of her neighbours and shopkeepers in her neighbourhood agree. “This is public housing. She’s a public servant. There’s nothing unsuitable about her staying here,” said shopkeeper Lee Swee Seng, 53, whose 17-year-old provision shop is frequented by Mdm Halimah’s family members for household items such as bread or detergent.

Madam Susan Ho, 63, who lives two doors down from Mdm Halimah’s family, agrees.

“If she wins, I would be excited because my neighbour in this HDB block would be the President,” said Mdm Ho, who stays with her daughter and son-in-law on weekdays, helping to care for her grandson.

“She’s very humble to stay in such a house. Most presidents would stay in the official residence,” Mdm Ho added.

Not everyone, however, is convinced that it would be practical for a President to live in a HDB flat.

“For security reasons, I don’t think she can continue staying here if she becomes President,” said a 46-year-old taxi driver who lives one floor above Mdm Halimah.

He declined to give his name, adding that he felt it would be more appropriate for her to live in a private house.

Mdm Halimah and her family currently live in two adjacent HDB units in Yishun that they bought on the resale market.

The presidential candidate is most often seen waiting for her chauffeur at the void deck in the morning.

At other times, she can be seen lugging groceries home from Mr Lee’s provision shop or the neighbourhood supermarket.

“During Hari Raya this year, she came over personally to share pastries such as pineapple tarts and cookies,” said Madam Chris Toh, 50, Mdm Halimah’s next-door neighbour. “When we see her, we just treat her as a neighbour. She’s truly a person with no airs … (if she wins), I won’t think of her as President,” added Mdm Toh.

Mr Lee, the shopkeeper, said he has seen Mdm Halimah’s five children grow up over the years. “They’re very well-mannered and will always ask after us while buying things at our shop,” he added.

For now, the buzz of presidential politics has yet to descend on this sleepy neighbourhood, where familiar daily routines and habits continue uninterrupted.

Mdm Toh said: “I’ll see (Mdm Halimah) climbing the stairs as I take the lift up. So I asked her, ‘Mdm, are you exercising?’ And she said, ‘Yes, must exercise’.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 10, 2017
Henry Park Primary Principal: Pupil Apologetic, Counselled Over NDP Gesture

A pupil from Henry Park Primary School who was caught on camera making a rude gesture at the National Day Parade (NDP) on Wednesday (Aug 9) is “deeply apologetic” for his action and has been counselled, said his school principal.

“The student regrets his action and is deeply apologetic. The school and his parents have counselled him, and will ensure he learns from this incident,” Henry Park Primary principal Chia Soo Keng told The Straits Times on Thursday afternoon.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 10, 2017
‘Mompreneur’ With 2 Sons, Running 3 F&B Businesses

Despite having her hands full with two young children and two food and beverage (F&B) businesses, Singaporean Tasneem Noor Smidhagen, 36, decided to have a new “baby”.

In June, she opened Lickety Ice Cream & Waffles in Bussorah Street in Kampong Glam.

Lickety, which has a Scandinavian decor of pastel pink and mint green, boasts an Instagram-worthy pairing of egglet waffles with ice cream.

Ms Tasneem and her Swedish husband, Mr Joakim Smidhagen, 45, are also behind Fika Swedish Cafe and Bistro in Beach Road and European artisanal bakery Konditori, located next to Lickety.

Aside from handling the operations of the businesses, the “mompreneur” has to fulfil her duties with her two sons, aged five and six.

She told The New Paper: “I just learnt how to take care of my different priorities at different times.”

Fika Swedish Cafe and Bistro, opened in 2009, was her first venture in the F&B industry.

Prior to that, the visual communications graduate from Temasek Polytechnic spent eight years in publication design.

The inspiration for Fika came about when the couple felt the need for such a Swedish restauranthere, while the idea for Konditori grew from wanting the desserts served at Fika to be made in their own bakery.

The offerings at Konditori are done in small batches and handmade daily. The best-sellers include red velvet croissant, fresh cream semla buns and pain aux chocolat.

The birth of Lickety, however, was spontaneous.

Ms Tasneem said: “I thought Lickety should look more alive (than its sister stores) and embrace all things young and fun to attract the younger crowd.”

Out of the 30 flavours available, the stand-outs are Lingonberry Swirl, Red Velvet and Dark Angel, which boasts chunks of chocolate bread from Konditori.

Ms Tasneem, who in 2015 won the Spirit of Enterprise Award, which honours local entrepreneurs operating small and medium-size businesses, admitted that her F&B journey has not always been smooth-sailing. One of the main challenges she faced was staffing.

Her advice for budding F&B entrepreneurs? Stick to your branding.

Referring to Fika, she said: “Do not follow trends all the time. There are other ways to improve while staying true to your branding. For example, salted egg yolk is ‘in’ right now, but I cannot have that on my menu, because I cater specifically to people who want an authentic Swedish experience.”

Source: http://www.tnp.sg

August 10, 2017
New Citizen Mat Salleh Is First Caucasian Bus Captain In Singapore

The next time you board a bus, a driver may also greet you with a cheerful “goeie more” (pronounced ho-yah mo-ra) on your morning commute.

That will be Mr Daniel Jacobus Ellis wishing you good morning in his native Afrikaans, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.

The 34-year-old started his training to be a bus captain in February and has been driving with SBS Transit since April.

He is the only Caucasian employed by the firm as a bus captain. SBS Transit has about 5,800 bus captains.

He is believed to be the only bus captain here from South Africa.

He said he had previously worked as a freelance business analyst here, but turned to the bus company for a stable job.

“I saw an ad at the LRT station advertising positions for bus captains, and I thought to myself, why not give it a try,” he said.

Mr Ellis – who moved here in 2011 when he married his Singaporean wife – gained his citizenship two years ago.

Home is a four-room Build-To-Order Housing Board flat in Punggol which he shares with his wife, a school counsellor.

To keep himself alert during his 12-hour long shifts – which can see him start the day as early as 2.45am – he enjoys a cup of kopi gao (thick coffee) from the Hougang Central Bus Interchange canteen.

Source: www.tnp.sg

August 10, 2017