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Consumer Watch

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Criticism mounts as CASE’s ineffectiveness shown again in the closure of UFC Gym Singapore

Members of UFC Gym Singapore were taken by surprise when Anytime Fitness took over the CityLink Mall space, despite being informed that the gym would temporarily close for renovation. The sudden closure led members to file police reports and complaints with the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE). The association has advised affected consumers to file claims at the Small Claims Tribunals. This incident has sparked concerns about the lack of regulation in the fitness industry and the need for stricter rules to protect consumers from prepaid membership losses. CASE has faced criticism for its perceived inaction in addressing recurring issues of sudden closures and prepayment losses.

“Most expensive Musang King”, Singaporean woman loses S$53,780 in scam

A Singaporean woman’s craving for Musang King durian took a devastating turn as she unknowingly fell into a scammer’s trap, resulting in the loss of almost her entire life savings. Lured into downloading a third-party app, she had S$50,000 transferred out of her bank account, leaving her with a mere S$7. The police are now investigating the incident.

Redditors criticise SIA’s economy class meal “downgraded” quality, comparing it to army camp food

Concerns have been raised about a decline in the quality of Singapore Airlines’ economy-class in-flight meals, as comments on a Reddit thread suggest. The thread discussed a Facebook post where a member of a group who travelled with Singapore Airlines shared photos of the in-flight meals during a family trip to Taipei. One Reddit post pointed out a discussion on a local forum that claimed cakes, desserts, and fresh fruits have been replaced with a single cracker biscuit served on a cheap disposable plastic tray. Some Redditors expressed their disappointment with SIA, with some citing examples of soggy and salty noodles and a decline in overall food quality and presentation since the pandemic while some Redditors also criticized SIA for charging a 30% premium while delivering only average quality, which could damage their long-established reputation.

Kf Seetoh questioned the justification for S$2.26 million expensive tender for “roadside pasar malam space”

Commenting in a Facebook post on Wednesday, KF Seetoh, founder of Makansutra, questioned the $2.26 million tender price for the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, and urged the People’s Association (PA) to clarify the justification for the expense. The winning consortium of S-Lite Event Support, TLK Trade Fair and Events, and Enniche Global Trading paid this amount to run the bazaar, with WGS listed as the organising authority. Vendors have struggled with high rental costs and bids needed to secure a space at the bazaar.

Grab plans to increase platform fee per ride to S$0.70 to combat driver shortage

Grab plans to increase its platform fee per ride to S$0.70 from S$0.30, effective from 5 May. The move aims to combat the driver shortage in Singapore’s ride-hailing sector by supporting new driver recruitment initiatives and technology-driven features. Grab also reintroduced GrabShare, enabling two passengers traveling in the same direction to share a ride and receive reduced fares. However, some customers expressed discontent over the price hike, citing poor rider performance and opting for other ride-hailing platforms.

Fernvale Dew residents criticize HDB’s rectification work as “secondary school student”-like

A resident of the Fernvale Dew HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) estate launched an online petition two weeks ago, alleging that owners received keys to their flats even though the project was incomplete, and claiming that the workmanship was shoddy. The petition, which had 119 signatures as of April 5, demanded that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) rectify the alleged poor workmanship and delays in the estate. The HDB responded that the majority of the reported issues have been resolved within two weeks. Despite this, netizens have expressed disappointment with the HDB’s workmanship, with one resident lambasting the quality of the rectification work as being done by a “secondary school student”.

Residents of Fernvale Dew HDB BTO estate petition against poor workmanship and delayed rectification works

Fernvale Dew HDB Build-To-Order estate residents claim poor workmanship and delayed rectification works in an online petition, with over 110 signatures, alleging that keys were issued despite ongoing construction works in the estate, citing multiple defects. Responding to the allegations, HDB stated that the majority of reported issues have been resolved within two weeks and that the feedback pertains to “minor defects”. HDB claims that contractors have concealed defects instead of carrying out proper rectification work, which it described as “unprofessional and lacking in integrity”.

Disruption of DBS digital services on 29 Mar morning, customers face difficulty making payments

Access to DBS’ digital services was disrupted on Wednesday (29 Mar), causing…

Six-year-old boy suffered broken arm at Sengkang playground after tripping over a hole on the ground

A recent report by Shin Min Daily News stated that on Wednesday,…

Malaysian elderly couple dies from suspected pufferfish poisoning

An elderly couple in Malaysia died and were hospitalized after consuming pufferfish purchased from a mobile vendor. The couple’s son reported the incident to the Ministry of Health and has urged for a ban on pufferfish sales. Pufferfish contains tetrodotoxin, which is highly toxic to humans, and can cause adverse effects on health. The neurotoxin can be found in almost all pufferfish, and one fish contains enough to kill at least 30 adult humans.