Tag: Singaporeans

Life As A Female McDelivery Rider

Yes it’s her again—Marian Poon, the 153cm-tall aircraft technician whose story you might have read. And guess what? As if fixing and cleaning clogged faeces in aircrafts weren’t adventurous enough, she used to be a McDelivery and Popeyes delivery rider for 7 years. And a competitive bowler. And rugby player. Who also does ballet, rock climbing, tap dancing and photography, but we digress.

Based at the soon-to-be-defunct Bedok Princess Macs, Marian juggled 4 jobs due to financial problems when her dad passed away.

From getting hit on by customers to delivering burgers to Geylang hotel rooms, welcome to the life of a Singaporean delivery girl.

Here are 10 experiences she shared with us.

1. Creepy Deliveries During 7th Month

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, I received a 3am order from one of the Lucky Heights houses, near Bedok Camp. My fellow riders told me to focus on the road and avoid looking into the rear mirror. I wasn’t that pantang (superstitious), so I grabbed my bag and rode off. The unit was located deep inside the estate and I had goosebumps to a point where I made a pitstop to take a breather.

I’ve also delivered to Mount Vernon Columbarium. Turns out, the security guard wanted McSpicy!

2. Sleazy Customers

One night, I delivered food to Geylang Hotel 81. A man, with a towel around his waist, swung open the door while a half naked lady was on the bed. He stood there shamelessly as I dug my bag for 45 cents.

3. Being Called Singapore’s Most Beautiful Rider

Aiseh.

4. “Keep The Change”

Someone told me, “you’re the first female rider I’ve seen in Singapore, please keep the change.” It was $28. A nice aunty also offered me hot milo when I made a delivery in the rain.

A customer gave me this toy from his Happy Meal. He said “it looks like you. LOL.”

5. “Give Me The 5 Cents Change NOW”

There are rude customers who will demand for the 5 cents change. Sometimes, I’ll fork out my own money to return them the smallest change I have.

6. Gentlemanly Riders

One time, my Yamaha Spark skidded and a Pizza Hut rider came to my rescue. After I fell, he pushed my bike to the side as I organised my bag. Thankfully, I had already delivered the food. As my bike’s steering went out of alignment, he asked if I needed a ride back. *insert heart emoji*

7. Odd Deliveries

Once, I sent a cup of hot tea which cost $4.50 with delivery fee. I thought I might as well just deliver the tea bag.

IG @Sportspoon: “Finally home. Day 2 of 血汗钱. My back is aching and starting to feel a bit like fitness. Haha. I’ve clocked in about 48 orders yesterday and today. Just counting tips, I’ve received $26.”

8. Nitpicky Customers

There was an aunty living opposite a McDonalds outlet in Potong Pasir who gave me the biggest McHeadache. She ordered a Hot Fudge Sundae, which I promptly delivered. However, she rudely exclaimed, “why is it melted? I want to speak to your manager.” I agreed to pass her the number and she replied, “wah so you show me attitude now lah?”

Eventually a fellow rider sent her a replacement order but she wasn’t appeased. I’ve also handled people who were furious they didn’t get a straw.

9. Staycation And Job Offers

During the World Cup fever, some drunkards told me to stay over for dinner. As a delivery girl, you need to be firm and extra careful lest you be eaten.

Sometimes they’ll chat me up to find out about my background. When I tell them I’m a degree holder who just wants to earn some extra cash, they’ll offer me jobs in various companies.

10. Tricky HDB Units

It’s nice when people include directions to their unit in the comment section if their house is tricky to find. I was a hamster in a maze when I made a 4am delivery to a HDB flat due to the layout of the building. In the end I had to stand at level 1, count the number of floors, and climb the stairs to level 9. How’s that for cardio?

IG @sportspoon: “450km. 70 families. 1 mission. HAHHAS. $600 huat ah!”

Delivery Riders In Singapore

Like many occupations in Singapore, riders like Marian are people we frequently meet, but hardly get to know. While technology, like an online ordering system, feeds our laziness (and stomachs), we should appreciate the unsung heroes who help make our lives better.

Source: https://zula.sg

December 16, 2016
Goh Meng Seng: Government Sector Must Stop “Old Method Using New Technology” Stupidity

I was driving a friend’s car the other day and found the car braked suddenly while I was cruising, my foot wasn’t pressing on any pedal. It nearly gave me a heart attack and a RED LED indicator popped up CTBA… and I got worried when the “Temperature indicator” jumped from the usual 34 degree to 37.

I asked my friend why was this so, was the car having some problem. I got a smacking that I am just too OLD generation and didn’t know “NEW (CAR) Technology” at all. I was using “old driving method” to drive a NEW HIGH Tech car!

Cruising is a method I learned from my late father to save petrol and this works especially well for manual gear car.

But I learn from Google (yes, please check Google before asking “High Tech” question, else, will get another suaning… 😀 ) that the “High Tech Car” nowadays will put brake on if it detected no contact of either the brake or accelerator pedal! Or that when the car was travelling at low speed and there is potential accident, it will apply brake on its own! This is to prevent drivers who are too tired from getting accident when they fall asleep with their feet off the pedal!

Wah, I say… but seriously, that’s too “intrusive” for my “Old Method – Petrol saving driving”! And that temperature indicator is not about the car temperature but the surrounding temperature! Well, I told my friend I didn’t know the street temperature can get as high as 37 and why do we need to know the “outside temperature” when we should be more concerned about the overheating of the car itself?

My friend scolded me, don’t use “Old Method” to deal with “New Technology”!

Actually, this makes me thinking for the day. My friend has a point. When New Technology is evolving, we should be mindful to use new methods of operation to deal with it.

One fine example was the bloody redundancy of “Cash Card” and “Ez-link” card. Why would we need TWO cards when we actually could combine them into one-for-all usage Cashless card?

Cash card can be used for purchases but very few people use it because it was cumbersome. It came up with two types, one with Sim the other “Flash” card.. But some carpark can only use one of them! Such redundancy is caused by the “Old Method Mindset” using “New Technology”!

On the other hand, we have a handy EZ-Link card which we could just Tap away but it could not be used for purchases at 7 Eleven or supermarket! And it can only be topped up at the MRT/Bus stations or ATM machines.

Same for Cash Card. When you go to petrol station, they can’t just top up the cash card for you but required you to top up at the ATM machine!

What the Heck! What’s wrong with these people at LTA and those in charge of “Cashless cards”?

In Hong Kong, one Octopus Card, can do it all! Carparks, Supermarkets, 7 Eleven, Bakery Shops, Bus, MTR… and you can top it up at any 7 eleven shops or OK shops!

Apparently, these High End Natural Aristocrat Scholars sitting up there are only concerned about their “turf” instead of consumers’ convenience and services! In fact, both cards evolved because of transportation needs, be it ERP gantries or public transport. LTA should have combined them all in the first place by setting the protocol and standards!

This is the “Old Methods” using “New Technology” stupidity we are seeing in Singapore… and we still want to pride ourselves as “First World High Tech Cashless City”?

Source: Goh Meng Seng

December 16, 2016
Singaporean Cook Attacked Near KSL Mall In Johor

A 44 year-old man was left lying bleeding and dying along Jalan Sutera Road, near Johor’s famous KSL mall.

The incident happened at about 7.30AM today.

According to Johor Police, police received an emergency despatch at 7.30AM about a fight at the scene of the crime, and sent a team to investigate.

When they arrived, they found the 44 year-old Singaporean, who works as a cook, lying on the ground with severe head injuries. He was sent to a hospital immediately and is in stable condition.

Eye witnesses said when the incident happened, 3 men armed with baseball bats surrounded the man and hit him repeatedly.

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

December 16, 2016
Hariss Harun To Leave JDT For Loan-Stint In Portugal Or Japan

Singapore national football star Hariss Harun is set for a loan-stint to Portugal or Japan, it was revealed on Wednesday (Dec 14).

In a move that is aimed at developing the talented 26-year-old midfielder, Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) revealed in a Facebook post that sending the Lions vice-captain abroad “is the best arrangement for the club”.

“Hariss Harun is a good and disciplined player. He means a lot to the club and we will send him out to a Portuguese or Japanese club on a year-long loan,” said JDT’s head coach Mario Gomez. “I’m sure at his current age, his playing ability will improve if he’s given a chance to play at a higher level.”

The Argentinian tactician added: “He will be a valuable asset for the club in the future when he returns from the overseas club.”

Hariss, 26, is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the region. A tireless box-to-box player who is tough in the tackle and a fine passer, he is the youngest ever in Singapore history to make his full national team debut in 2007 at the age of 16 years and 217 days.

One of JDT’s highest-paid players with a reported salary of US$30,000 (S$42,700) a month, his two-year contract ends next year.

Hariss has enjoyed great success since joining JDT on November 2013, quickly becoming a fan favourite with his tireless running and wholehearted performances.

He helped JDT win three league titles on the trot (2014 to 2016), the Malaysian FA Cup the past season, as well as the prestigious AFC Cup last year. In 2013, he had also won the Malaysian Super League with the now defunct Singapore side LionsXII.

However, he could not replicate his club form for the Singapore national team, as the Lions failed to qualify for the knockout rounds of the past two editions of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.

Before he joined JDT, Hariss was on the verge of accepting a contract offer from Portuguese Primeira Liga side, Rio Ave in July 2013.

The deal was brokered by renowned agent Jorge Mendes – the representative of four-time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo – and supported by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim. However, talks broke down reportedly over Hariss’ National Service commitments and salary issues.

If Hariss moves to Portugal, he will be following the likes of Fandi Ahmad, V Sundramoorthy and Daniel Bennett as Lions who played professional football in Europe.

Former Singapore international R. Sasikumar reckons that Hariss is now in “the best situation” to play overseas, and described the move as “win-win” for the midfielder.

“JDT is sending him out on loan, so that means that he still has a club to return to when his loan ends,” explained the registered player agent who helped to bring former English Premier League player Jermaine Pennant to S.League club Tampines Rovers this year.

“So Hariss is not taking a huge risk and throwing everything out of the window in going overseas to play.

“He will go there with peace of mind, and can focus fully on making the most of this opportunty, improving as a player. trying to get into the squad, and then into the first team. And then he will return to JDT a much better player. It’s a dream move, a win-win for everyone.”

Sasikumar also believes that Hariss will do well in Portugal if that is where he is heading.

“The Portuguese league is not the Premier League, or La Liga or the Bundesliga, and I think Hariss is not far off the standard of play in Portugal. If Frederic Mendy can score goals regularly there, then Hariss can definitely play there.”

Mendy was a former striker for Etoile FC and Home United in the S.League, scoring 62 goals in 87 games in his two seasons in Singapore before moving to Portugal to play for clubs like Estoril, Moreirense and Uniao Medeira.

“Hariss is a good pro and his head is screwed on right,” said Sasikumar. “He’s a bit more experienced now, he has tasted what it is like to be a professional player playing in a foreign club with his stint at JDT, and now he is getting a possible second shot at playing in a higher league, either in Portugal or Japan.

“He’s going to make the most of it.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

December 15, 2016
Good Samaritan Gets A Great Sponsorship Surprise

He helped a woman pay for her studies at Kaplan Singapore.

Now, Kaplan has rewarded him in kind – by sponsoring his daughter’s tertiary education.

A few months after a chance encounter in late 2013, technician John Shu, 50, gave about $6,000 to Ms Jaycie Tay, 32, who was struggling with money for a diploma.

The twice-divorced single mother of four had been twice incarcerated for drug offences.

It was on her way back to halfway house The Turning Point that she first met Mr Shu at a Yishun bus stop.

In 2014, she completed her diploma in marketing management from Kaplan Higher Education Institute.

About a week after Kaplan learnt of Mr Shu’s kindness from an article in The Sunday Times, it decided to pay close to $20,000 for the tertiary education of his daughter, Shermin Shu, who’s 22.

The private school invited the Shus to the Kaplan City Campus @ Wilkie Edge, at Wilkie Road, yesterday, to surprise them with the sponsorship.

As Ms Shu is on holiday in Thailand, Mr Shu received the sponsorship on her behalf from Kaplan’s president, Mr Leon Choong. He also received a document to recognise his act of generosity.

Speaking from Thailand, Ms Shu said her family was “on cloud nine”, and that Kaplan had called her yesterday morning with the news.

“I thought that I was dreaming. Who would have thought that my dad’s simple gesture would give us such a reward?” she said.

She said her parents would have struggled with her university fees, and Kaplan’s generosity would motivate her to work harder in university.

Ms Shu recently completed her three-year diploma course in visual communication at Nanyang Polytechnic and plans to pursue her passion in arts and design at university.

Kaplan will reimburse the costs of her polytechnic education – about $8,000 to $9,000.

It will also contribute $10,000 towards her university degree.

Mr Choong said he was touched by Mr Shu’s and Ms Tay’s story, and had convened an emergency board meeting to see how Kaplan could help Ms Tay.

After learning that she is receiving aid from the Yellow Ribbon Fund Star Bursary, Kaplan turned to Mr Shu instead.

Ms Tay said she had felt bad because she could not repay Mr Shu. But now, she’s grateful over how things turned out.

“When Kaplan told me they wanted to recognise his kind heart, I felt like God sent something to help me repay (him).”

Source: The New Paper

December 14, 2016