SINGAPORE: Amid the pick-up in economic conditions, the National Wages Council (NWC) on Thursday (May 31) recommended that low-wage workers earning up to S$1,300 receive a pay increase of S$50 to S$70.

This is higher than last year’s recommendation of S$45 to S$60 for low-wage workers earning up to S$1,200.

This is the third time that NWC is proposing a pay hike range and an increase in the basic monthly wage threshold for low-wage workers.

The increase in the wage threshold last year covered more low-wage workers and led to improvements in their wage outcome, NWC said. The proportion of resident employees earning less than S$1,200 has also fallen from an estimated 8.1 per cent in 2016 to 7.7 per cent in 2017.

Building on the progress made, the NWC said that it is useful to continue to provide quantitative guidelines for low-wage workers and to further raise the basic wage threshold.

But NWC also noted that the adoption rate of its quantitative guidelines for low-wage workers in outsourced work fell from 49 per cent in 2016 to 44 per cent in 2017.

For employers who did not provide wage increases, the top reasons cited were that they were constrained by contractual agreements or were already paying the market rate, it said.

NWC urged service providers to adopt the same wage recommendations for outsourced low-wage workers and to factor in wage increases into their bid prices, particularly for the cleaning, security and landscaping sectors.

ONE-OFF BONUS

For companies that have achieved productivity gains in 2017, NWC suggested that they provide an additional one-off special payment of S$300 to S$600 to low-wage workers earning up to S$1,300.

This can be paid to the employees in a lump sum or over several payments.

MOM’s annual report on wage practices released on Wednesday showed that the number of companies that adopted the NWC’s recommendations for low-wage workers rose significantly from 21 per cent in 2016 to 48 per cent in 2017, the highest since 2013.

Overall, 62 per cent of establishments with low-wage workers gave their workers a wage increase in 2017, up from 40 per cent in 2016.

Industries such as accommodation and food services, community, social and personal services, and wholesale and retail trade were most proactive in adopting the pay increment recommendation.

Industries such as construction, transportation and storage and manufacturing gave less.

Establishments that did not grant wage increases to low-wage workers cited reasons such as poor business and already paying the market rate. There were also some concerns over the impact on business and wage costs, as well as poor employee performance.

The NWC guidelines cover the period from Jul 1, 2018 to Jun 30, 2019.

SINGAPORE: The Government has identified three HDB blocks at MacPherson Lane for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in a press release on Thursday (May 31) that the blocks 81 to 83 comprise 313 sold flats, which are about 50 years old.

Under SERS, the residents of these blocks will move to new replacement flats, sited in a nearby location.

HDB will build new flats, ranging from 2-room Flexi flats to 5-room flats at Circuit Road, as replacement flats for the residents. These new flats are estimated to be completed in the second quarter of 2023, HDB added.

“The replacement flats are located near the MacPherson MRT Station (interchange station for Circle Line and Downtown Line) and Pan Island Expressway. There are shops and eateries nearby, such as the Circuit Road Food Centre and the MacPherson Market and Food Centre. Paya Lebar Square is a few minutes’ drive away. In addition, residents can enjoy recreational activities at the nearby MacPherson Community Club,” the press release said.

The SERS plan will also involve 27 sold shops and two eating houses at Blocks 81 to 83 MacPherson Lane. 

According to HDB, the owners of these commercial properties will be given compensation based on the market value of their units at the time of the SERS announcement.

They may opt to buy a new unit on a 30-year lease based on selling prices fixed at market value as at the time of the SERS announcement, rent a new unit based on the prevailing market rent at the time of letting, or choose not to take up a new unit and receive an ex-gratia payment pegged at 10 per cent of the market value of the existing unit, the press release added.

HDB said it will inform all SERS flat owners and commercial property owners individually of these plans. They will also be invited to a SERS exhibition which will be held from Jun 2 to Jun 4.

According to the HDB, SERS projects are aimed at rejuvenating older HDB estates. Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong wrote in a blog post in March that SERS “as the name implies is selective”. 

“It is only offered to HDB blocks located in sites with high redevelopment potential. These are typically sites where the land has not been well utilised. It is also subject to the availability of suitable replacement sites for residents and the Government’s financial resources,” he said.

Mr Wong added that only 4 per cent of HDB flats have been identified for SERS since it was launched in 1995 and authorities continue to maintain strict selection criteria for the scheme.

SINGAPORE: The Government has identified three HDB blocks at MacPherson Lane for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in a press release on Thursday (May 31) that the blocks 81 to 83 comprise 313 sold flats, which are about 50 years old.

Under SERS, the residents of these blocks will move to new replacement flats, sited in a nearby location.

HDB will build new flats, ranging from 2-room Flexi flats to 5-room flats at Circuit Road, as replacement flats for the residents. These new flats are estimated to be completed in the second quarter of 2023, HDB added.

“The replacement flats are located near the MacPherson MRT Station (interchange station for Circle Line and Downtown Line) and Pan Island Expressway. There are shops and eateries nearby, such as the Circuit Road Food Centre and the MacPherson Market and Food Centre. Paya Lebar Square is a few minutes’ drive away. In addition, residents can enjoy recreational activities at the nearby MacPherson Community Club,” the press release said.

The SERS plan will also involve 27 sold shops and two eating houses at Blocks 81 to 83 MacPherson Lane. 

According to HDB, the owners of these commercial properties will be given compensation based on the market value of their units at the time of the SERS announcement.

They may opt to buy a new unit on a 30-year lease based on selling prices fixed at market value as at the time of the SERS announcement, rent a new unit based on the prevailing market rent at the time of letting, or choose not to take up a new unit and receive an ex-gratia payment pegged at 10 per cent of the market value of the existing unit, the press release added.

HDB said it will inform all SERS flat owners and commercial property owners individually of these plans. They will also be invited to a SERS exhibition which will be held from Jun 2 to Jun 4.

According to the HDB, SERS projects are aimed at rejuvenating older HDB estates. Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong wrote in a blog post in March that SERS “as the name implies is selective”. 

“It is only offered to HDB blocks located in sites with high redevelopment potential. These are typically sites where the land has not been well utilised. It is also subject to the availability of suitable replacement sites for residents and the Government’s financial resources,” he said.

Mr Wong added that only four per cent of HDB flats have been identified for SERS since it was launched in 1995 and authorities continue to maintain strict selection criteria for the scheme.

SINGAPORE: Eight women and 15 men, aged between 27 and 41, were arrested for various offences during a week-long joint enforcement operation, said the Singapore Police Force in a news release on Wednesday (May 30). 

The operation, which was supported by Centreal Narcotics Bureau, was conducted between May 21 and May 27. 

The police said that about 700 people at more than 70 residential and commercial units at Yishun, Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang were checked during the operation. 

The eight women, arrested under the Women’s Charter, were believed to be advertising sexual services online and operated within residential areas. 

A total of S$730 in cash and 10 handphones were also seized, said the police. 

Meanwhile, 14 of the men, aged between 23 and 51, were arrested for offences under the Common Gaming House Act. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that four of the men were operating a gambling den while the 10 others were participating in the games. 

A 44-year-old man was also arrested at a roadblock for drink-driving, said the police. 

Investigation are ongoing, added the police. 

SINGAPORE: Singtel is partnering Apple to offer the latter’s Apple Music streaming service at a monthly fee that would not eat into customer’s existing mobile data limit – an offering the telco is touting as the first such tie-up in Singapore.

The data-free Apple Music service is available from Thursday (May 31) only to postpaid mobile customers at a monthly fee of S$9.98, with new and re-contracting customers getting six months free subscription with no minimum contract, the telco said in its press release on Wednesday.

This comes more than two years after it launched Singtel Music, which allows its postpaid mobile subscribers to sign up for a similar data-free offering with rival music streaming service Spotify. This service costs $9.90 per month without contract, according to its website.

The latest offering is available on Android and iOS devices, including the cellular-enabled Apple Watch device, the telco said. 

SINGAPORE: Singapore will build its largest underground substation yet, with the capacity to power more than two public housing towns when completed by 2025. Building the substation underground will free up three hectares – or more than three football fields of space – of land.

SP Group will construct the 230kV underground substation, which will have a commercial development sitting on top of it, on the site of the former Pasir Panjang Power District, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (May 30), at the launch of an exhibition showcasing Singapore’s underground projects.

“We are drawing up plans to rejuvenate the area, and this additional space means that there will be more to look forward to,” Mr Wong said. “This is for just one underground substation and we are saving 3ha of land. Imagine the potential if we were to do many of such projects underground all over Singapore.”

The new development will sit on the same compound as the Pasir Panjang Power Station, which was decommissioned in 1987.

NO PLANS TO HOUSE RESIDENTIAL SPACES UNDERGROUND

A 3D Underground Master Plan is also being developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be unveiled for selected pilot areas by 2019.

The master plan will allow the authorities to plan for both “aboveground and underground possibilities, to ensure that they are compatible and seamless”.

“The map will show what is already there in the ground, what we plan to build in the future, and the regulations and requirements for industry,” said Mr Wong. “All this can be updated whenever things change on the ground.”

He also added that the Government has no plans to build homes underground.

“Some people have asked if we are planning to locate homes underground. Let me assure everyone that we are not intending to put residential spaces underground,” said Mr Wong.

Instead, the master plan’s priority will be to locate supporting infrastructure underground, such as utilities, storage facilities and transport infrastructure. The Government is also “actively looking” to have common services tunnels in growth areas such as the Jurong Lake District, Mr Wong said.

CENTRALISED PLATFORM FOR UNDERGROUND PLANNING

To provide more accurate data to facilitate underground development, a centralised platform collating different types of information for underground planning will also be made available.

Industry players will be able to purchase them from the Singapore Land Authority’s Integrated Land Information Service, which will serve as a one-stop portal for all utility plans.

Geological information collected from government projects will also be shared on the platform from July this year.

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SINGAPORE: It’s said that one dog year equates to seven human years, so a dog’s birthday is truly an occasion to celebrate. And as pet owners become increasingly willing to spend on their dogs, they are also happier to mark birthdays or adoption days with occasion cakes that both dog and owner can enjoy.

For these dogs’ doting owners, it’s worth spending upwards of S$70 on a pretty treat that’s made with premium, organic, human-grade ingredients, since only the best will do for Fido.

That’s especially true if the dog has special dietary restrictions, allergies or age-related conditions. And it’s not just for birthdays – many are also ordering cakes and tarts as special treats to share with their ailing dogs before it’s sadly time to say goodbye.

Whatever the occasion, the doggie cake trend is gaining momentum, as we found when we visited three doggie bakeries specialising in all-natural treats.

At Barking Good, founder Sim Dionne said that demand for their cakes has tripled in the last year or so.

As for Gwen Tan of Superdog Kitchen, a home business specialising in doggie tarts, she now sees about 15 per cent more orders, compared to a year ago.

Even the cost of the ingredients has risen with demand, said The Barkery’s Ann Marie Chua, adding that they do try their best to keep products affordable for their customers.

Still, it seems dog owners are happy to spend top dollar on their fur kids. These treats aren’t your basic pupcakes – they’re carefully engineered works of art. And because they are made only with natural ingredients, hoomans can partake in the feast.

To be able to share the same cake with your canine bestie on a special occasion and know that it’s a healthy yet delicious treat – well, to a pawrent, that’s worth all the licks on the face in the world.

THE BARKERY

Years ago, when Ann Marie Chua, 29, got her golden retriever Toby, the runt of the litter with digestive problems, she realised that there was a growing awareness and demand amongst dog owners for better food for their dogs. Since Toby responded well to her aunt’s home recipes, they decided to open the gourmet dog bakery The Barkery in 2011.

“Dogs don’t have a choice in what they’re fed. And the majority of commercially produced pet food is full of fillers, artificial preservatives, additives, flavouring and colouring,” said Chua. 

“So, it’s very important that our products are made from all-natural, premium, human-grade ingredients. We don’t use fondant, sugar or colouring. It’s very important for us to produce something that is good for them, and that, just as importantly, they enjoy eating,” she said.

One of The Barkery’s best-selling designs is their Burger Cake, which consists of a real beef patty sandwiched between meatloaf buns. The accoutrements are made from potato coloured with natural ingredients. For instance, the “cheese” is coloured yellow with turmeric, the “lettuce” is coloured green with spirulina and the “ketchup” is coloured red using beetroot. The single-patty burger cake costs S$68 for a 1kg cake.

They also customise cakes according to customers’ requests – and there have been some unusual ones. 

“There was a request for a cake to be made entirely of pure durian, and in the shape of a trophy because the dog had just won an agility competition, and durian was his favourite food. We managed to do it and that was an accomplishment,” Chua said. 

“We also have requests from customers whose dogs have extreme allergies and can’t eat most proteins. We have made cakes out of crocodile meat, kangaroo meat and even frog meat.”

sgbarkery.com

BARKING GOOD

Sim Dionne, 25, who was motivated by the desire to give her malti-poo Noodles more wholesome treats, opened Barking Good in 2014.

“When we come up with new cakes or treats, we make sure that the dog’s experience is at the forefront of our minds. It has to taste and smell good,” she said.  

One of Barking Good’s most popular designs, the Nigiri Sushi Cake, comprises a hand-shaped meat patty covered in what looks like grains of rice. These are actually made of potato and each grain is rolled by hand. 

The slab of “salmon” on top is made from sweet potato and decorated with potato to create the marbling effect. Other ingredients include carrot, broccoli, beet, carob, spirulina, rosemary and even activated charcoal, which is used for the “seaweed”.

A 1kg Nigiri Sushi Cake costs between S$150 and S$200, depending on the type of meat selected for the filling.

“We use only all-natural ingredients in our cakes and goodies. The colours in the cakes are derived from plants or fruits,” Sim said. 

This natural approach has created issues when customers want cakes with fancy colours, such as neon ones. “We always explain our philosophy of using only natural ingredients, and we work out a design that looks good and is healthy for the pets.”

It can get emotional in the kitchen when a cake is meant for a dog’s last birthday or last meal – when owners request for the cake to say “Goodbye, we love you”, she said. 

“At the same time, we are very honoured to be part of the journey of saying goodbye to a beloved pet.”

barkinggood.sg

SUPERDOG KITCHEN

Superdog Kitchen, which specialises in doggie tarts, was born in 2012 when Gwen Tan, 33, started baking for her golden retriever, which had developed irritable bowel disease at the age of four. Back then, all the ingredients had to be imported. But in recent years, and with growing awareness, the former makeup artist has been able to find and work with local suppliers.

Many of Tan’s customers have dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs. It isn’t easy, she said, to concoct something they can eat and “still make it look like a celebration”.

Superdog Kitchen’s Aloha Summer tart certainly fits the bill. The eye-catching confection is topped with mango, papaya, kiwi, apple, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The organic fruits are personally selected by Tan from her wet market suppliers. 

The nine-inch Aloha Summer tart costs S$85, while a tart of the same size with just one type of fruit, such as strawberry or mango, costs S$70. Mini tarts, sold in threes, are also available for small dogs.

All are handmade from scratch by Tan herself. Each tart’s pastry is made with chickpea flour, which is free of wheat, gluten, soy and corn; olive oil instead of butter or shortening; and cage-free eggs. It’s then baked and filled with doggie ice cream, which is hand-churned from organic Greek yoghurt and flavoured with manuka honey, organic vanilla beans or pure durian.

The durian flavour, Tan said, is the most popular – customers can choose between D24 and Mao Shan Wang.

She also makes cheesecakes – including durian cheesecakes – quiches and meat tarts. None of the treats contain sugar, salt, preservatives or colouring. “Although there is no seasoning, it’s still very tasty because I always make sure the flavours pair well,” she said.

It all comes from a desire to enjoy experiences together with her dogs. “For me, cooking has always been about love and family, and dogs are family,” she said. 

That is why, even though Tan has been approached by investors, she prefers to keep the business small. “If my hands are full, I won’t accept more orders, and I won’t accept last-minute orders because that would compromise the quality. Nothing good comes out of rushing things.”

Tan also makes tarts for dogs, who are nearing the end of their lives, as their final treats. Flavours are especially important to whet their appetite. “That’s very special for me because dogs don’t have very long lives, and my customers are dog owners who care about their dogs,” she said.

facebook.com/superdogkitchen

SINGAPORE: Hong Kong’s famous Tsui Wah eatery will open its first Singapore outlet at Clarke Quay on Jun 15, the chain announced on Wednesday (May 30). 

The outlet, Tsui Wah’s first in Southeast Asia, will have a seating capacity of over 140. Its opening hours will be from 11am to 11pm daily, but it will start operations from 1pm on opening day.

It will be located at 3A River Valley Road, #01-03, Clarke Quay – the former ground floor unit of Attica club, which vacated the space in July last year. 

Fans of the eatery can expect to enjoy its signature items such as the milk tea, crispy bun with condensed milk and the curry series, Tsui Wah said. 

“More exciting updates are to come as the menu progressively expands in the upcoming months,” it added. 

Chefs from Tsui Wah Hong Kong have been in Singapore to train the local staff, the eatery said. 

Some of the chefs will also be stationed here to help out in food preparation and “ensure the high standards of quality and freshness” and diners can “look forward to Tsui Wah’s authentic culinary culture of Classic Hong Kong Flavours,” it added.

Tsui Wah Singapore is a franchise by Vista F&B Services, a joint venture between Tsui Wah Holdings and Jumbo Group. 

The Tsui Wah Group currently has 70 outlets in Hong Kong, Macau and China.