Jennifer Lee will not strike you as the typical environment activist – that is, if your impression of environment activism involves boat ramming and chaining yourself to trees. TOC caught up with this soft-spoken and determined founder of two animal rights movements, Project: FIN and Project: WILD, and found out a bit more about how Singapore has come so far …

On Thursday, the government announced that the Minimum Sum (MS) which Singaporeans need to set aside in their Central Provident Fund accounts will be raised to S$155,000 from 1 July. The last increase was in July 2013, when it was raised to S$148,000 from the previous year’s (2012) S$139,000. The latest increase to S$155,000, which will apply to CPF members …

By Tiffany Gwee A red spray-paint graffiti with profanities targeted towards the People’s Action Party (PAP) was found on the rooftop of a 22-storey Housing Development Board (HDB) flat located in Toa Payoh yesterday. The Police were notified about the graffiti at 6.47am in the morning and the mess was quickly painted over by 11.30am. The police have classified this …

  “[Laws] are absolutely necessary to protect children from parents who are incapable of controlling their rage.” And that perhaps is the most important reason for banning the use of corporal punishments – that as long as there is a potential for adults to inflict irreparable damage on a child through caning, such an act must be outlawed. And banning …

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has just announced that the minimum sum that will apply to CPF members who turn 55 between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015 will be increased to $155,000 from $148,000. This will be set aside in their Retirement Account using savings from their Special, and then Ordinary Accounts. (press release) The Minimum Sum for CPF …

By PropertyGuru Members of the Kwee and Hiranandani families took six of the ten spots on a Wealth-X ranking of Singapore’s wealthiest real estate tycoons, according to new research. Collectively, the six brothers from these two families hold US$7.2 billion in assets – nearly half of the US$15.57 billion combined net worth of their peers on the list. The four …

By SY Lee and Leong Sze Hian News that make your blood boil! Reading the news is normally quite funny – but today’s may make your blood boil! We refer to the article “Progressive wage model plans for aviation industry” (Straits Times, May 8). Pay from $580 to as much as $1,000? It states that salaries of 240 airport trolley handlers …

By Ghui Hot on the heels of one “pro-family” event, we now have another to contend with.  TOUCH Family Services, which is an affiliate of TOUCH Community Services founded by Faith Community Baptist Church, which in turn is led by Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong, has organised an event to “celebrate the International Year of the Family 2014”. Before critics jump the …

By Dr. Thum Ping Tjin Lim Chin Siong co-founded the People’s Action Party (PAP) in 1954 with Lee Kuan Yew. His intellect, leadership, and legendary oratory skills enabled him to organise the trade union movement and provide the organisational base for the PAP. He effectively championed the cause of the unemployed and the exploited workers of Singapore, and was wildly …

Government tightens grip on workplace safety The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is reviewing the penalties and the legislative framework under the Workplace Safety and Health infringements, as Singapore registered 19 workplace fatalities in the first quarter of the year, five more compared to the same period last year. While the overall workplace fatality rate has decreased from 4.0 per 100,000 employees in …