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Fake wheelchair users on flights to and from India

Screenshots of a post on the “Singapore Airlines Krisflyer/PPS Club Frequent Flyers” Facebook group went viral after a woman complained about the lack of wheelchair assistance for her mother. Responding users defended Singapore Airlines, citing the misuse of wheelchair services by “fake wheelchair users” from India to bypass immigration and security queues. This issue has been reported by Indian mainstream media, Times of India, in 2018. The misuse of wheelchair services at airports is quite rampant in India, where not all disabilities are visible.

Singaporean netizens express lack of confidence in 4G leadership despite PM Lee’s call for support

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called on Singaporeans to give their full support to the country’s new generation of leaders, led by Lawrence Wong, after a tough year dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite PM Lee’s call, many Singaporeans voiced their concerns over the struggles of ordinary people and lack of confidence in the 4G ministers. The ruling party was also criticised for being out of touch with the issues that affect modern Singaporeans, with some calling for voters to elect more opposition MPs.

Lim Tean calls on Transport Minister to disclose number of successful PR and foreign bidders in latest COE exercise

Lim Tean, the political party Peoples Voice leader and a practising lawyer in Singapore, expressed his shock at the recent prices for the Category E, open-category COEs. He questioned whether Transport Minister S Iswaran would disclose the number of Permanent Residents (PRs) and foreigners who bid and were successful in the last exercise. When commenting on Lim Tean’s Facebook post, some of the netizens echoed with Mr Lim’s call, suggesting that the COE bidding should be categorised by Singaporean and non-Singaporeans, and the bidding price for the latter should be on top of the locals.

Singapore Redditor shares stories of “horrendous” treatment of foreign domestic workers

Redditor shares mistreatment of foreign domestic workers in Singapore, highlighting that abuse of FDWs can take many forms, including emotional abuse, despite growing legal protections against more visible forms of sexual or physical abuse. Some Redditors defended the access to cheap home help, arguing that it has uplifted the satisfaction of many households in Singapore and helped FDWs “earn money to invest” in their home countries. However, others refuted this argument, stating that the low salary of FDWs leads to undervaluing and abuse, and called for improving the treatment of FDWs.

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.

Netizens challenged DPM Wong to grant alternative parties access to data to present a “serious alternative agenda”

During a recent parliamentary debate in Singapore, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on opposition party MPs to present a “serious alternative agenda” rather than opportunistic or populist ideas. Mr Wong expressed dissatisfaction with the Workers’ Party’s lack of support for the entire goods and services tax (GST) and the latest increase from 7% to 9%, citing a huge funding gap that none of the alternatives suggested by the WP could make up for. However, Singaporean netizens have challenged DPM Wong and the PAP government to allow alternative parties access to relevant data and statistics, believing that they can propose better solutions for the country. Some netizens expressed skepticism about the PAP’s willingness to consider concrete alternatives proposed by alternative parties’ MPs. There were also comments reminding others that the PAP government has a track record of adopting alternative parties’ ideas, particularly those proposed by the WP.

Indonesian TikToker criticizes Lampung Province’s governance, receives backlash and family harassment

Awbimax Reborn, a TikToker and university student in Australia, criticized the infrastructure, education, governance, and over-reliance on agriculture in Lampung Province, Indonesia. His recent video drew attention and controversy as it went viral, and allegedly, he faced intimidation from local authorities as a result.

Surprise and dismay among netizens over 86-year-old who has been working as a cleaner for 15 years

A netizen expressed shock upon discovering an elderly 86-year-old cleaner in Singapore still working, despite his age. The cleaning schedule of an HDB block, including the cleaner’s introduction, was shared on Facebook by Fahrurazi Degil. Netizens expressed disappointment over the elderly’s inability to retire due to low income, depleted CPF savings, and other reasons. While some have suggested that the incumbent government’s policies contribute to this vicious cycle, the Singapore government announced in Budget 2023 to increase the minimum monthly payout for the Retirement Sum Scheme from S$250 to S$350 starting 1 June 2023. However, according to the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), an older Singaporean would need $1,379 a month to meet his or her basic needs.

Muslim girl allegedly stopped by a woman from consuming chocolate bar during Ramadan on MRT

While Singapore celebrates diversity and inclusivity, there is a limit to everything as shown in a recent incident where a Muslim girl was stopped from consuming a chocolate bar during her break fast time. The girl hopes that people will show more consideration towards those consuming candies or food that do not soil the place on public transport, especially Muslims who are fasting as it might be urgent for them. The post on Singapore’s social media account SgfollowsAll on Wednesday (12 Apr) garnered mixed reactions from netizens. While some empathized with the Muslim girl and suggested that people should be considerate during Ramadan, others felt that the rule against eating in public transport should apply, except for commuters with medical conditions that require special arrangements.

Father of two sells RM6 laksa to support family, receives overwhelming support from Malaysians

A Malaysian man’s Facebook post announcing his last effort to sell fresh fish laksa to earn money to cover the expenses for the upcoming Aidilfitri festival went viral. Muhammad Nadhzir Nazrin sells the laksa for only RM6 (US$1.36) as a car boot vendor near Putrajaya and its surroundings. The post brought him many supportive followers, booking all his laksa for the last ten days of Ramadan. Despite facing several difficulties in life, Nadhzir’s determination to provide for his family earned him netizens’ praise.