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Singaporeans Have To Save 9 Years Longer For Retirement Than Previous Generations: HSBC Survey

Hit by the rising cost of living, workers in Singapore have to save nine years longer for an adequate retirement compared to previous generations, according to an HSBC report released on Wednesday (July 13).

According to the report, the average Singaporean starts saving for retirement at 32 and continues for another 29 years. This is nine years more than their predecessors, who saved an average of 20 years, starting later at age 39.

Despite the longer and earlier period of saving, 41 per cent of current working age Singaporeans wish they had started to save earlier – and more than one-third or 38 per cent have stopped saving altogether due to various difficulties.

Said Mr Matthew Colebrook, head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, HSBC Bank (Singapore), said: “The unfortunate causality of a rising cost of living is that people nowadays are having to save further and for longer than their predecessors. Unfortunately in many instances, life events are also getting in the way from setting aside money earlier or in a consistent manner.”

The HSBC Future of Retirement: Generations and Journeys report is based on the views of more than 18,000 people in 17 countries, including a total of 1,008 Singaporeans (both working age and retired).

The survey also found that Singaporeans are predominantly using cash savings, supplemented by day-to-day salary and a property downsize to fund their retirement.

The report finds that 21 per cent of Singaporeans – compared to the global average of 6 per cent – expect to downsize or sell a property to help them to fund their retirement.

According to the report, 60 per cent of working age Singaporeans surveyed expect to draw on cash savings to fund their retirement. A further 40 per cent highlighted that they will continue to work, with 12 per cent saying they rely on government pension schemes.

Said Mr Colebrook: “The report reveals a degree of tunnel-vision amongst Singaporeans with cash savings and property being the key investments of choice – often at the exclusion of almost any other asset class.

“But all asset classes’ performance will rise and fall as the current softening of the Singapore property market and low deposit rate environment show us. This speaks volumes for why it is important to seek diversification in a savings plan.”

Lack of information on retirement may potentially be one of the reasons why working age Singaporeans have not started planning for their retirement, said HSBC.

According to its survey, 26 per cent of pre-retirees here say they have never received advice or information about retirement. Findings also show that 23 per cent of pre-retirees have not started saving (on par with global average of 24 per cent), including 10 per cent who are aged 60 or over.

Mr Colebrook added: “While Singaporeans are savvy savers in general, they may not have the relevant knowledge to help them start saving or consider investment options in order to sustain the lifestyle they had before retirement.”

Source: The Straits Times

September 19, 2016
Lebih 3,000 Penduduk Ke Pelbagai Rumah Ibadat, Saling Belajar Tentang Agama lain

Lebih 3,000 penduduk dari sembilan kawasan undi berjalan bersama dalam satu semangat perpaduan.

Bermula dari kawasan undi masing-masing, mereka membuat persinggahan di rumah-rumah ibadah sepanjang jalan.

Para penduduk Bukit Batok misalnya menyaksikan upacara sembahyang di sebuah gereja.

Penduduk Bukit Gombak pula ke Masjid AlKhair berpeluang mempelajari rukun Islam dengan lebih mendalam manakala beberapa penduduk lainnya melawat sebuah kuil Taoist.

Acara ini sebahagian daripada daya usaha Kumpulan Bina Keyakinan Antara Kaum atau IRCC untuk menggalak keharmonian kaum dan agama di Singapura.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

September 19, 2016
Anak 2 Tahun Maut Dilanggar: “Saya Dengar Bunyi Tulang Anak Saya (Patah)”

Hancur luluhnya hati seorang ibu apabila orang yang menyebabkan kematian anaknya dilepaskan daripada hukuman penjara.

Fahima Hassan yang berusia dua tahun, sedang berjalan dipimpin ibunya apabila dilanggar oleh sebuah kereta yang dipandu oleh Hoden Aden, 44 tahun, seorang ibu kepada tujuh orang anak, menurut Daily Mail.

Mahkamah mendengar bahawa Hoden sedang bercakap di telefon sambil mencari tempat meletak kereta, memandu pada kelajuan lapan kilometer sejam.

Namun, penglihatannya terhadang oleh sekotak tisu di bahagian depan keretanya dan tidak menyedari dia sudah melanggar seorang kanak-kanak.

Yang paling mengejutkan, menurut laman Daily Mail, Hoden mempercayai bahwa dia terlanggar troli dan terus menerus melanggar kanak-kanak berkenaan untuk beberapa ketika.

Pada awalnya, Hoden tidak mengaku bersalah menyebabkan kematian dengan memandu secara cuai namun didapati bersalah pada bulan lalu menyusuli perbicaraan selama empat hari.

Kini, Hoden dijatuhi hukuman penjara 14 bulan, namun ia digantung selama dua tahun setelah mahkamah mendengar bahawa dia tidak sihat dan perlu menjaga ibunya yang sedang sakit.

Ibu Fahima, Narmin Nur yang tidak dapat menahan perasaan semasa hukuman itu dijatuhkan berlari keluar dari mahkamah, lapor Daily Mail.

Beliau yang berusia 31 tahun itu berkata: “Kami tidak gembira dengan hukuman itu.

Bagaimana ini yang dipanggil keadilan? Kami amat bersedih.

“Bagaimana seseorang boleh membunuh seorang kanak-kanak namun masih boleh keluar seperti biasa? Saya tidak boleh mempercayainya. Saya tahu tiada hukuman yang boleh membawa kembali Yaya (nama timangan Fahima), namun kami ingatkan dia mungkin dipenjara untuk beberapa tahun.

“Semasa dia memandu saya boleh mendengar bunyi tulang-belulang anak saya. Saya tahu dia tidak sengaja membunuh anak saya, namun dia tidak pernah berkata apa-apa kepada saya,” tambah Cik Narmin.

Sebelum kemalangan itu, Fahima bersama ibunya baru sahaja meninggalkan pusat beli-belah Asda pada bulan September 2014 apabila Hoden melanggar Fahima dengan kereta Volkswagen Tguan sekitar pukul 8.20 malam (waktu London).

Source: Berita MediaCorp

September 19, 2016
Three Indonesians Freed By Militant Abu Sayyaf Group: Philippine Military Spokesman

Three Indonesian fishermen held by Islamic State-linked rebels in the Philippines have been released, the Philippine military said on Sunday, just hours after the militias freed a Norwegian man after a year-long ordeal.

The victims – identified as Lorens Koten, Teodurus Kofung and Emmanuel – were released by the Abu Sayyaf on Saturday night at an undisclosed place in Sulu, said Major Filemon Tan, spokesman in the military’s Western Mindanao Command. They were taken on July 9 this year from Malaysian state of Sabah, he said.

The Indonesians were set free just hours after the same group notorious for kidnappings, beheadings and extortion released Norwegian captive Kjartan Sekkingstad, who was set to meet President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City on Sunday evening.

Sekkingstad was taken from an upscale resort on Samal island in Davao del Norte along with a Filipina, who has already been freed, and two Canadians, whom the militants later executed.

While it is widely believed that no captives are released by the Abu Sayyaf without the payment of ransom, the Philippine government said it did not pay the group and was unaware of any payment made by other parties for the release of the victims.

“I would like to reiterate that the government maintains the no-ransom policy,” Communications Minister Martin Andanar said. Now if there was a third party who made the payment, if it’s the family (of the victim), we are not aware of that.”

Tan said Sekkingstad and the three Indonesians were flown separately on Sunday afternoon from Jolo, Sulu. The Indonesians have been turned over to Indonesian authorities, he said without giving further details.

Tan insists the release of the kidnap victims was a result of the ongoing intensified military operations against the Abu Sayyaf, with the assistance of the Moro National Liberation Front, one of the two major Muslim rebel groups based in the south of the mainly Catholic nation.

Source: TODAY Online

September 19, 2016
Off Duty Nurse Saves Old Man From Seizure

Moon Lim shared in her Facebook about how she responded when she saw a wheelchair-bound man struggling as a woman was trying to “stuff a handkerchief” into his mouth. Moon did not mention, but the woman could possibly be the man’s foreign domestic worker. Moon had gotten off-duty early from the hospital.

When Moon asked the woman who was attending to the man if she needed help, the woman said ‘no’. But things did not seem normal so Moon asked the man himself if he was fine, and asked him to look into her eyes.

When she noticed the man’s “eyes were facing up and he started to shake really violently, with muscle spasm,” she recognised that he needs immediate medical attention. She told the woman attending to the man firmly to stop trying to push the handkerchief into his mouth, and rushed him to the outpatient clinic which was closing.

The man was immediately wheeled into the emergency room by 4 staff and 2 doctors from the outpatient clinic.

Moon was pleased with the good deed that she did and said, “I love my job. And I love my shoes. I am a nurse, and I am wearing Adidas.” The incident happened on Friday, 16 September.

If you can’t read her post, this is what she said:

—
I was SKIPPING out of the hospital door because i was so happy to finish work earlier today. THEN, i saw a lady holding a wheelchair with a man seated on it. The lady was trying to stuff a handkerchief into the man’s mouth however the man was shaking his head.

I went over and asked the lady, “Miss… Do you need help?”
“No. Its ok..” the lady answered.
but the man’s behavior do not seem right to me, this is going to sound very weird but i looked at the uncle, and told him “UNCLE look into my eyes!!! Are you ok???!?!?!” Uncle’s eyes were facing up and he started to shake really violently, with muscle spasm.

MAN!! THIS MAN NEEDS I/m Valium stat, i thought to myself. He is having a seizure! The lady was still trying to push the handkerchief into his mouth, i told her very firmly, “please stop! he needs a doctor NOW! Follow me!!”

For the first time since months, I ran. i held his legs away from the wheels, and i really ran. because i could not put him in recovery position. The outpatient clinic was 100 meters away and closing, but luckily, they were so sweet, 4 of them helped with 2 doctors, placed him on the trolley and pushed into the emergency room.
Before i left, I nodded and smile to the lady.

I love my job. And i love my shoes.
I am a nurse, and i am wearing Adidas.

Source: http://theindependent.sg

September 18, 2016