Latest from Independent Singapore
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Man finds ‘insects' in dinner ordered by company, but horrified netizens tell him they look like maggots
SINGAPORE: A man took to social media to complain about the 'insects' that he found in the food his company driver had bought for dinner. Commenters, however, told him that they looked more like maggots, which begin to appear when food is spoiled. They also urged him to contact the relevant authorities. On the popular COMPLAINT SINGAPORE page on Thursday (Jun 19), the man wrote that the food had been ordered from a certain stall at 7 Kaki Bukit Avenue 3, which is located near the Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre. 'This shop our company driver (buys) food for dinner. Many insects were found inside the stomach of the fish being eaten. No one can eat after seeing this fishy insect,' he added. He also posted a photo of the meal, which showed a piece of fish on a bed of rice. However, on the fish were many small cylindrical-shaped items that looked different from the rice. The post author circled these in red to indicate that these were the insects he had found. Screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE On his post, he added a receipt from the meal as well. It was not itemized, but simply said 'makan,' for which the person who ordered paid S$49. Screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE The post author also included a picture of the stall. A quick online search confirms that the stall has been registered since at least 2023 to sell cooked food and prepared drinks at Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre. It has no social media accounts or website, however. Facebook users who commented on the post appeared to be as horrified as the post's author. 'This is a very serious issue,' wrote one. 'Wow! Those are not insects. Looks more like maggots,' exclaimed another. 'Oh no, so many maggots !' a netizen wrote. One could hardly believe the food had been purchased in Singapore. Some urged the post author to report the matter to the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). At the same time, one commenter suggested that the stall owner should be informed about the spoiled food. The SFA oversees food safety in Singapore, while the NEA manages many hawker centres, including ensuring public health issues, cleanliness, and maintenance. While maggots themselves are generally not harmful, they are killed by stomach acid. However, in some cases, people who have ingested maggots have gotten bacterial infections. It's the spoiled food where maggots are found that commonly poses a greater danger when eaten, as it could lead to food poisoning, which can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The Independent Singapore has reached out to the post author for further comments or updates. /TISG Read also: Woman horrified to find 'worms/maggots' in Nestlé coffee capsule box ordered online
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Athletics: Here's what you need to know about the Wanda Diamond League Final
Photo: WELTKLASSE ZURICH: The Wanda Diamond League has been one of the significant events in the world of track and field since 2010. It is a series of one-day meetings that comprises 15 events in global track and field, held across four continents and 13 different countries to reach athletes and fans all around the world. How does the series work? Athletes from 32 disciplines will compete from April to September and will garner points at the 14 series meetings to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final event. By the end of each series meeting, participating athletes will be awarded 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 points, based on their ranking, from first to eighth, respectively. The top six in the field events, the top eight in the 100-m to 800-m categories, and the top 10 in the 1500-m and long-distance events will be eligible to continue and compete at the Final. Moreover, one athlete may also qualify as a national or global wildcard from each discipline. If there is a tiebreaker, the athlete with the best performance of the season is ranked higher and will be awarded a spot. In the case of throws and horizontal jumps, the 'Final 3' format will be used in all series meetings, excluding the Wanda Diamond League Final. Here is the qualification points for each series meeting: Place Points 1st 8 2nd 7 3rd 6 4th 5 5th 4 6th 3 7th 2 8th 1 What to expect from the Wanda Diamond League Final? The 2025 Wanda Diamond League Final will take place on August 27 and 28 at Weltklasse Zurich. Each champion will receive the iconic Diamond Trophy and a wildcard for the World Athletics Championships, given certain conditions. Furthermore, the league will have a total of US$9.24 million (S$12.47 million) prize money. In each of the 14 regular series meetings, the prize money will be US$500,000, and the prize money at the Wanda Diamond League Final will be US$2.24 million. Per discipline, the prize money would be between US$30,000 and US$50,000 at the series meetings and US$60,000 and US$100,000 at the Final. Here is the calendar of events for the 2025 Wanda Diamond League: April 26 Xiamen (CHN) May 3 Shanghai/Keqiao May 16 Doha (QAT) May 25 Rabat (MAR) June 6 Rome (ITA) June 12 Oslo (NOR) June 15 Stockholm (SWE) June 20 Paris (FRA) July 5 Eugene (USA) July 11 Monaco (MON) July 19 London (GBR) August 16 Silesia (POL) August 20 Lausanne (SIU) August 22 Brussels (BEL) August 27-28 Zurich (SUI) To know more about the current results, standings, disciplines per meeting, statistics of participating athletes, and ticket availability for the remaining events, you may visit Wanda Diamond League's website here.
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Malaysia's PM Anwar vows to 'make necessary adjustments' from SEZ foreign investors' feedback 'if absolutely necessary'
ISKANDAR PUTERI, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vowed that Malaysia will make necessary adjustments, 'if absolutely necessary,' based on feedback from foreign investors on the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) to make Malaysia 'a very attractive destination for foreign investments.' Speaking at the two-day Nikkei Forum Medini, Johor 2025, PM Anwar pitched the JS-SEZ project, 'based on total trust' between Malaysia and Singapore, touting foreign investors to invest in the opportunity, as reported by Nikkei Asia. 'This is not an ordinary SEZ,' he said. 'Name me any other economic zone that involves two countries based on total trust and working together as a team.' The JS-SEZ deal, signed on Jan 6 during the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat in Putrajaya , spans 3,571 sq km, nearly five times the size of Singapore. Johor's Chief Minister, Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who was also at the forum, shared that investment in his state has been 'surging.' He said Johor attracted RM30.1 billion (S$9.12 billion) in investment during the first three months of 2025, nearly seven times the RM4.1 billion recorded in the same period last year. 'This amount took nine months to achieve last year, and it has been achieved just in three months in 2025,' the chief minister said, adding that this reflects the trust of both local and foreign investors in Johor. He also mentioned that from January to May, Johor's Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre had secured committed investments worth RM16.71 billion, with another RM26.18 billion in potential investments being considered by 47 foreign and 10 local investors. The centre is responsible for guiding businesses into the SEZ. In January, OCBC had already expected the JS-SEZ deal to attract increased interest from regional firms , given the interest they had observed even before the deal was finalised. Despite strong investor interest, infrastructure concerns already felt by Johoreans were raised during the forum. Japan's ambassador to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata, said it is 'essential' to address the pressing issue of traffic congestion in Johor, as it will not only hamper economic activity but will also waste energy, harm the environment, and increase accident risks. In response, PM Anwar said, 'We should be very dynamic and make adjustments wherever necessary.' /TISG Read also: Johor's April investment pipeline at RM23B as it targets high-tech and green investments to create better-paying job opportunities
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
'I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined' — Petra Kvitova announces retirement from professional tennis
Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion and former World No. 2 in rankings, recently announced her retirement this season, specifically after the US Open. This will end her remarkable career spanning for over a decade. On social media, the athlete expressed: 'I've been privileged to reach incredible heights over the past 19 years since becoming a professional tennis player. From winning my two Wimbledon Championships, bringing home six Billie Jean King Cup trophies for the Czech Republic, reaching the world #2 ranking and so much more. I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined and I am so grateful to everything that tennis has given me all these years.' She added: 'While no such decision is ever easy to make, for me this is a happy moment! I will leave the sport with the biggest smile on my face – the same smile you've seen from me on and off court throughout my whole career.' Netizens expressed their support by commenting on the post. One netizen admitted: 'Gonna miss you Petra. I hope you enjoy your next chapter as much as we've enjoyed being part of these recent chapter in your life. You've been an incredible champion and a true inspiration to so many. Thank you'. Another netizen declared: ' Congratulations on a wonderful career. It has been a pleasure to watch. May you succeed in everything you go onto in the next phase of your life.' More netizens stated: 'We will miss you Petra! Time to enjoy that family. You'll shine in anything you do!', 'God bless your future Petra. It's been a joy watching you', and 'Inspiring! Fearless fighter, the best attitude in every match, brilliant player. You will be missed' Kvitova's impressive tennis career At the age of 21, Petra Kvitova won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon by beating Maria Sharapova with a final scoreline of 6–3, 6–4. She became the first player born in the 1990s to win a major. That same year, Kvitova dominated the WTA Finals in her debut. She won all five matches and defeated Victoria Azarenka in the final. In 2014, Kvitova returned to Wimbledon's final and defeated Eugenie Bouchard with a final scoreline of 6–3, 6–0. Between 2011 and 2018, Kvitova was a key player for the Czech Republic's Fed Cup team, helping the squad win six titles with a record of 30 wins and 10 losses. The athlete also made a name on the clay court in Madrid, winning the tournament three times (2011, 2015, 2018). This record was later matched by Aryna Sabalenka. In her sporting career, she won nine WTA 1000 titles. Kvitova then won her 30th title at the Miami Open later in her career by winning against Elena Rybakina. She added a 31st title in Berlin that same summer, defeating Donna Vekic on grass court.
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
After Standard Chartered offshores jobs to India, Reddit user asks what S'poreans are doing to protect themselves
SINGAPORE: Reports that Standard Chartered laid off 80 staff members in Singapore to offshore these roles to India appear to have sent a chill among some employees. One Reddit user immediately took to the platform to ask how others are protecting themselves. The company offshored roles in Singapore, mainly from its technology and operations teams, according to eFinancialCareers. However, this may just be the beginning of a broader restructuring, sources at the bank have said. In a post on r/askSingapore, u/piggyb0nk wrote, 'What are you doing to protect yourself from offshoring?' They explained that they work with several tech teams, and the majority of the roles are contracted out to companies based in India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. They described the workers they've met from these countries as 'REALLY GOOD' – experienced, able to speak 'decent' English, and known to perform well. The post author added that they've discovered that these workers are paid only 'a fraction' of what their Singapore counterparts make. 'The company actually has no logical business keeping me on – most of the local team here could be eliminated and contractors hired offshore,' the post author wrote, adding, 'I've found that upskilling isn't really helpful because there will be many people equally or better skilled who can demand less – so I have trying to work toward a career path that takes me up into management as quickly as possible to achieve some level of stability.' See also We look back to the 10 most-inspiring features from the ecosystem They also asked what others are doing to protect themselves from offshoring. 'I work in IT with physical sites, part of my hiring was to have an engineer near the sites in case something happens. This helps to justify my hiring,' wrote one, adding, 'I also volunteer to travel to any nearby countries if required. (My career has sent me to Japan, Indo, msia, India, etc). This offers our passport visa-free advantages to our employers. 'In my case, I try not to compete with 3rd world salaries but with 1st world salaries. We can earn the same or slightly less than Americans or Europeans and still have a higher purchasing power due to our lower taxes.' 'Be a revenue driver or a critical component of revenue-driving teams. Nobody's doing sales out of India. The corporate mindset now is front-end based in Singapore (for that income tax) and backend based in a satellite office. 'Find ways to value-add. If you're an expensive/senior role at a cost centre unit, sorry but your time is ticking. Be visible, find ways to value add. Your roles are the juiciest when a bunch of old white men sit in a boardroom and go through lists of who to retrench because soft benefits like efficiency don't show up in KPI data all the way up,' contributed another. See also Young Singaporeans snap expensive items before GST kicks in Some advised that taking jobs in healthcare, education, security, or the civil service are likely to be safer from offshoring, and others said that the post author could move to a country where the cost of living is cheaper. Another chimed in that they're accumulating assets in case they are let go. 'It's easier and much more productive to make ourselves less dependent on the job for a living. That way, if offshoring really happens to the job, it will suck but not matter as much. Also, at some point in time, like it or not, we have to retire.' Interestingly, one commenter did not answer the question but pointed to high rental rates and how these affect salaries as a key part of the problem. 'The issue is the sky-high rent and rent-seeking behavior. High wages in SG, but most of the wage goes towards landlords (whether directly in the form of mortgage or rental payments or indirectly in the form of higher prices, etc). This perpetuates a wage-price spiral (high prices so workers demand higher salaries, which then lead to high prices), which prices us out from competitors without any real benefit to Singaporeans who are spending locally. It's great for people working SGD and spending elsewhere, eg, Malaysians /foreigners who send money back home,' they wrote. /TISG See also Why brands fail on e-commerce and what they can do about it Read also: 80 job cuts at Standard Chartered Singapore 'likely just the start' amid push to return US$1.5B to shareholders
