SINGAPORE: Local company Misa Travel had its travel agent licence revoked on Wednesday (May 31), the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) confirmed in a media advisory on the same evening.

“Misa Travel has been served a notice of revocation as it has ceased to carry on the business of a travel agent and is unable to fulfil its obligations towards its customers,” STB said. 

The company had shuttered its office earlier on Wednesday, and posted a notice saying that the company had closed and all its services were “ceased with immediate effect”.

STB added that affected customers should contact Misa Travel regarding the status of their booking or to seek a refund. “In the event that Misa Travel cannot be reached or fails to provide the relevant service delivery or refund, consumers with applicable travel insurance should approach their insurance providers for assistance,” STB said.

Consumers who are not covered by travel insurance can approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) or the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT), where appropriate, it added.

“We take this opportunity to remind consumers to take precautionary measures such as purchasing travel insurance upon payment of the travel plans, and to pay by instalments instead of making full payment.

“The travel insurance should provide coverage for unforeseen events such as when a travel agent becomes insolvent,” STB said.

STB said the latest list of licensed travel agents in Singapore is available at the Travel Related Users’ System (TRUST) website. It added that travel agents can email stb_ta@stb.gov.sg for related licensing queries.

SINGAPORE: It was a Wednesday afternoon. The door opened and 86-year-old Madam Nadia, a frail and worried-looking old woman peeked gingerly from behind the locked gate. We introduced ourselves as Pioneer Generation Ambassadors, and she smiled and shook her head.

Madam Nadia told us that she did not speak English, thanked us for our visit, and said that things were “quite okay”.

Sensing something amiss, Auntie Tang and I persisted in engaging her. We started talking in Malay, albeit a little clumsily. Me, using the Bahasa Indonesia I picked up from a prior posting in Indonesia, and Auntie Tang using her “pasar Malay”, as she calls it.

Perhaps because of the switch in language, Madam Nadia seemed more comfortable and relaxed after a few minutes. She invited us into her flat and started to tell us more about herself.

It turns out that Madam Nadia was taking care of an autistic daughter who’s over 60 years old, and she was agonising over a letter that was marked “On Government Service”. She knew it was important, but she did not know what it was because it was in English, and she could not read the language.

We helped her translate the letter, which turned out to be a notification offering her daughter additional subsidies after a required medical examination. We also set up a return visit for our volunteers to assist her with the arrangements for the medical examination and provide her with directions and necessary contact numbers.

Madam Nadia was visibly relieved and much happier when we left.

“Pioneer Generation Office? Do what one?” is the most common response I get when I tell others where I work. One of the things I enjoy most about my role is serving as a Pioneer Generation Ambassador, a volunteer who goes to the homes of seniors like Madam Nadia, to explain government schemes that they can access and see what assistance they require to do so. Often, the language we use are those the pioneer uses – Malay, Tamil, Hokkien or Cantonese to name a few.

These encounters taught me several things – let me share a few here.

ONE: TO HELP SENIORS, WE MUST FIRST FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

When the Government launched the Pioneer Generation Ambassador programme in 2014, the mission was clear – to bring pioneers greater assurance by helping them understand the benefits of the Pioneer Generation Package. And as part of the programme, our volunteers will visit all pioneers, regardless of income status or house type.

Within two years, we’ve managed to knock on the door of every pioneer in Singapore. And we have engaged over seven in 10 of our pioneers. Last year, we expanded our outreach to seniors aged 65 and above, because we now know the value of making a face-to-face connection.

From time to time, we come across seniors whose living situation belies what one may infer from data. On one end, a senior who appears well-off may need support because he cares for a disabled wife. On the other, another who stays in a 2-room flat could have strong support from her children and chooses to stay alone because she wants to be close to friends in her old neighbourhood. Even when the data suggests a certain senior needs help, he or she may be reluctant to ask for it, like Madam Nadia.

It is only when our volunteers make the effort to spend time with our seniors and build a relationship in the process, that seniors feel comfortable enough to share with us their unique circumstance and trust us enough to talk about their challenges.

The door-to-door home visits help us reach seniors who may need help but are unsure about where or how to get assistance. Our office acts on their behalf by working with partner agencies who administer relevant assistance schemes. We usually follow through on applications, until they receive the help they require – this may include the installation of ramps and handle bars for a senior who uses a wheelchair, or referrals to dementia programmes.

So while we can write national policies, establish schemes and set aside funds as a nation to care for our seniors, what we need more is to build relationships with them in order to care for them effectively – whether as volunteers, families, or communities. Only then can they receive the assistance they require.

TWO: IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO CARE FOR A SENIOR

The programme works because we have the support of the community and other agencies. What we do will not be possible without many partners who provide additional assistance to our seniors, whether is it befriending them, providing medical escort services, or delivering meals. 

We are especially thankful for the over 3,000 volunteers who have stepped forward as Pioneer Generation Ambassadors. Often, when I ask our volunteers what keeps them going, they tell me that it is the insight they get out of conversations with our seniors, the discovery they make about themselves in the process, and the knowledge that they can make a difference.

Most of our volunteers live in the same communities they visit – so they develop a fuller appreciation of who their neighbours are and what struggles they face. And this in turn helps break down walls of isolation that our seniors may experience with old age, the onset of sickness, or an illness that hinders movement.

THREE: THERE IS A SILVER LINING IN OUR AGEING STORY

One in every five Pioneer Generation Ambassadors is a senior. Auntie Tang, who I mentioned earlier, is already a grandmother. We did not go out of our way to recruit the elderly to be volunteers, but over time, we have found them to be a natural fit. Our senior volunteers are multi-lingual – with some speaking as many as five languages or dialects – and are keen to do something meaningful now that they have reached a new stage in their lives.

Seniors are often our most passionate and committed volunteers. They find new purpose in serving and caring for their fellow seniors. They put in the time and energy to go the extra mile, and are always keen to pick up new skills along the way.

Most importantly, our older volunteers come with a wealth of experience. While many of our volunteers are accomplished professionals, the life experiences and empathy that elderly volunteers bring in engaging other seniors help break the ice. During house visits, we will often ask the elderly we visit about their families so that we can better understand their unique circumstances. So we meet seniors who have lost spouses or children, for instance. In moments like these, it brings seniors immeasurable comfort to be with someone who has gone through similar life experiences and is able to empathise with them.

Singapore is one of the world’s fastest ageing societies. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above, up from one in seven today.

But as our experience with the Pioneer Generation Ambassador programme has showed, we can count on our seniors to pull their weight and take care of those in their ranks as well. 

Ageing need not be a greying problem. By honouring seniors in our communities, caring for them, learning from them and supporting them to contribute back, old can be gold.

(The names used in this commentary are pseudonyms to protect the identities of the people mentioned.)

David Neo is programme director at the Pioneer Generation Office which mobilises Pioneer Generation Ambassadors to conduct outreach to seniors.  

SINGAPORE: Local company Misa Travel has closed and all its services are “ceased with immediate effect”, the company said in a notice on its website misatravel.com on Wednesday (May 31).

The notice was also put up on online travel aggregators run by the company, including www.airfares.com.sg, www.cruises.com.sg, www.landtours.com.sg and www.getaways.com.sg.

Channel NewsAsia understands that customers have had trouble visiting at least one of the sites as early as last Monday. The company’s Facebook page has also been shut down. 

As of 7pm on Wednesday, its hotel reservations portal hotels.com.sg was still “live”. 

According to the notice, customers affected by the closure and who require assistance with issues such as “unfulfilled trips” can email admin@misatravel.com or send a text or WhatsApp message to +65 9229 4968.

The company also suggested that customers submit claims through their travel insurance if they have purchased any.

“A team has been set up and they will be contacting passengers in the next couple of days to provide more details on claims,” the notice read, adding that Misa will provide updates on its website.

SINGAPORE: Some schools are introducing cycling lessons into their curriculum to give pupils the necessary skills and awarenesss to be able to use their bikes safely while sharing roads, pavements and park connectors with other users.

Holy Innocents Primary School is the fourth school to partner with the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) to organise the two-day Singapore Cycle Safe Learn-To-Cycle programme.

“We want to provide opportunities for our pupils to develop cycling as an important core life skill. This is in line with NurtureSG to continue fostering healthy habits in our pupils and equip them with the life skill that they need so that they can embrace healthy living,” said the school’s head of physical education Madam Joyce Lee, on Wednesday (May 31).

Modelled after a national swimming programme, Swimsafer, Cycle Safe aims to equip all students with safe cycling awareness, safe cycling skills and practical ways to demonstrate acts of graciousness while cycling along shared spaces.

At Holy Innocents, trainers began the programme by demonstrating the right way of putting on helmets. After that, the students were taught the right technique to grip handlebars to reduce any injuries in case of a fall. They were also taught how to control their bicycles by walking in circles alongside their bikes before learning how to balance on them. 

In a statement made in May 2014, the then Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said: “The trend is that more and more people are cycling, and that’s a good form of transport and it’s good for health. But we want to make sure they are trained and know about cycling so that they can cycle safely and also have regard to other road users.”

With its four-level progressive programme, Cycle Safe is customised towards Singapore’s network of park connectors and roads. Since 2016, 1000 participants have participated and the SCF said that it is working towards certifying 2000 students this year.

According to the SCF, Cycle Safe is the “fundamental starting point for someone keen on the sport of cycling and it complements the Singapore Government’s efforts and investment on a car-lite society.”

“We must prepare our young with safe cycle skills to be able to cycling safely and displaying graciousness,” said SCF’s president Jeffrey Goh Leng Soo.

And the children seemed to enjoy learning such skills.

“I feel excited because this is my first time riding a 2-wheel bicycle. It’s a life skill where after I learn it I can never lose it. After learning it I can have a great pleasure with my family going out to cycle the 2-wheel bicycle and share a healthy and active lifestyle,” Joel Sham, 10, told Channel NewsAsia.

The Primary 4 student added: “I usually ride the scooter while my grandfather rides the bicycle. I hope to be able to ride the bicycle with him one day after I’ve learnt the skills from this programme.” 

SINGAPORE: Despite the uncertain economic environment, low-wage workers may be in for a pay increment if the fresh guidelines from the National Wages Council (NWC) are accepted by their employers.

On Wednesday (May 31), the NWC recommended an increase of S$45 to S$60 for low-wage workers earning a basic monthly pay of up to S$1,200.

The council first made proposals for a range of pay increments in 2016, recommending an increase of between S$50 and S$65 for those earning a basic monthly salary of up to S$1,100. According to the NWC, the greater flexibility provided by the range has increased the adoption rate of its quantitative guidelines to 21 per cent last year, from 18 per cent in 2015.

With the labour market outlook and business conditions remaining uneven across sectors, the council saw the need to continue to set a range for the recommended wage increases, its chairman Peter Seah said.

The NWC also stressed on the need for wage increases to be “sustainable and fair”, with Mr Seah emphasising that wage increases should be “given in line with the firm’s business prospects, while variable payments should reflect firms’ performance and workers contributions”.

“Employers who have done well and have good business prospects should reward workers with built-in wage increases and variable payments commensurate with the firm’s performance. Employers who have not done well but face uncertain prospects may exercise wage restraint, with management leading by example, and make greater efforts to transform and grow,” he said.

Dr Robert Yap, president of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), described the lowered range of wage increments as a “reflection of sustainability” amid uncertainties in the economy

“When employers are concerned, we are not afraid to give increases to our employers, but can we keep on giving and sustaining?” The lowered range will also help more employers to adopt the recommendations, Dr Yap added.

RISE IN SALARY BAR OF LOW-WAGE WORKERS TO S$1,200

The NWC is also pushing for a rise in the basic wage threshold of low-wage workers to S$1,200, from S$1,100.

According to chairman Peter Seah, this decision is spurred by “significant improvements and reductions” of the number of resident employees earning a basic monthly of up to S$1,000 and S$1,100.

“Over the last five years, the council focused on low-wage workers and we are glad to note that we have significantly reduced the share of resident employees earning up to S$1,000 from 10.6 per cent in 2011 to 4.7 per cent in 2016. Those earning up to S$1,100 decreased from 8.2 per cent in 2014 to 5.7 per cent in 2016,” Mr Seah said at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

“Building on this progress that we’ve made, the NWC believed there is merit to continue provide quantitative guidelines and have decided to raise the wage threshold from S$1,100 to S$1,200,” he added. “We are raising the bar to cover a larger pool.”

For low-wage workers who earn slightly above S$1,200, the NWC recommends employers to grant low-wage workers a reasonable wage increase or a one-off lump sum based on skills and productivity.

Commenting on that, labour MP Melvin Yong said: “Given the momentum after we introduced the quantitative guidelines, I think it’s about time we take a look at the number of low-wage workers out there… There were some negotiations but in the true spirit of helping low-wage workers, we have come to this understanding to raise this basic wage threshold to S$1,200.” 

This is the sixth round of pay hikes suggested by the NWC. Last year, it recommended for the first time a range of pay increments, instead of a minimum sum.

NTUC and SNEF supported the guidelines and the Government has accepted the NWC recommendations which are not legally binding.

In a statement, the Government said it welcomes the NWC’s recommendations for a pay hike and in particular, supports the council’s move to build on the progress made by the five rounds of quantitative wage recommendations to raise the wage threshold and cover more low-wage workers.

“The Government notes that the quantum of this year’s range reflects the uneven labour market outlook and business conditions, while encouraging employers to adopt the quantitative guidelines which now cover workers earning between S$1,100 and S$1,200.”

The NWC also said it welcomes the Government’s move to raise the re-employment age from 65 to 67 from Jul 1. The council’s chairman also described the MOM’s move to make retrenchment notifications mandatory as a “welcome move”. “Retrenchment should be responsibly done and the welfare of workers should always be placed as the important consideration,” Mr Seah said.

NWC’s guidelines take effect for one year from July 1.

SINGAPORE: It was a Wednesday afternoon. The door opened and 86-year-old Madam Nadia, a frail and worried-looking old woman peeked gingerly from behind the locked gate. We introduced ourselves as Pioneer Generation Ambassadors, and she smiled and shook her head.

Madam Nadia told us that she did not speak English, thanked us for our visit, and said that things were “quite okay”.

Sensing something amiss, Auntie Tang and I persisted in engaging her. We started talking in Malay, albeit a little clumsily. Me, using the Bahasa Indonesia I picked up from a prior posting in Indonesia, and Auntie Tang using her “pasar Malay”, as she calls it.

Perhaps because of the switch in language, Madam Nadia seemed more comfortable and relaxed after a few minutes. She invited us into her flat and started to tell us more about herself.

It turns out that Madam Nadia was taking care of an autistic daughter who’s over 60 years old, and she was agonising over a letter that spotted “On Government Service”. She knew it was important, but she did not know what it was because it was in English, and she could not read the language.

We helped her translate the letter, which turned out to be a notification offering her daughter additional subsidies after a required medical examination. We also set up a return visit for our volunteers to assist her with the arrangements for the medical examination and provide her with directions and necessary contact numbers.

Madam Nadia was visibly relieved and much happier when we left.

 “Pioneer Generation Office? Do what one?” is the most common response I get when I tell others where I work. One of the things I enjoy most about my role is serving as a Pioneer Generation Ambassador, a volunteer who goes up to the homes of seniors like Madam Nadia, to explain government schemes that they can access and see what assistance they require to do so. Often, the language we use are those the pioneer uses – Malay, Tamil, Hokkien or Cantonese to name a few.

These encounters taught me several things – let me share a few here.

ONE: TO HELP SENIORS, WE MUST FIRST FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

When the Government launched the Pioneer Generation Ambassador programme in 2014, the mission was clear – to bring pioneers greater assurance by helping them understand the benefits of the Pioneer Generation Package. And as part of the programme, our volunteers will visit all pioneers, regardless of income status or house type.

Within two years, we’ve managed to knock on the door of every pioneer in Singapore. And we have engaged over seven in 10 of our pioneers. Last year, we expanded our outreach to seniors aged 65 and above, because we now know the value of making a face-to-face connection.

From time to time, we come across seniors whose living situation belies what one may infer from data. On one end, a senior who appears well-off may need support because he cares for a disabled wife. On the other, another who stays in a 2-room flat could have strong support from her children and chooses to stay alone because she wants to be close to friends in her old neighbourhood. Even when the data suggests a certain senior needs help, he or she may be reluctant to ask for it, like Madam Nadia.

It is only when our volunteers make the effort to spend time with our seniors and build a relationship in the process, that seniors feel comfortable enough to share with us their unique circumstance and trust us enough to talk about their challenges.

The door-to-door home visits help us reach seniors who may need help but are unsure about where or how to get assistance. Our office acts on their behalf by working with partner agencies who administer relevant assistance schemes. We usually follow through on applications, until they receive the help they require – this may include the installation of ramps and handle bars for a senior who uses a wheelchair, or referrals to dementia programmes.

So while we can write national policies, establish schemes and set aside funds as a nation to care for our seniors, what we need more is to build relationships with them in order to care for them effectively – whether as volunteers, families, or communities. Only then can they receive the assistance they require.

TWO: IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO CARE FOR A SENIOR

The programme works because we have the support of the community and other agencies. What we do will not be possible without many partners who provide additional assistance to our seniors, whether is it befriending them, providing medical escort services, or delivering meals. 

We are especially thankful for the over 3,000 volunteers who have stepped forward as Pioneer Generation Ambassadors. Often, when I ask our volunteers what keeps them going, they tell me that it is the insight they get out of conversations with our seniors, the discovery they make about themselves in the process, and the knowledge that they can make a difference.

Most of our volunteers live in the same communities they visit – so they develop a fuller appreciation of who their neighbours are and what struggles they face. And this in turn helps break down walls of isolation that our seniors may experience with old age, the onset of sickness, or an illness that hinders movement.

THREE: THERE IS A SILVER LINING IN OUR AGEING STORY

One in every five Pioneer Generation Ambassadors is a senior. Auntie Tang, who I mentioned earlier, is already a grandmother. We did not go out of our way to recruit the elderly to be volunteers, but over time, we have found them to be a natural fit. Our senior volunteers are multi-lingual – with some speaking as many as five languages or dialects – and are keen to do something meaningful now that they have reached a new stage in their lives.

Seniors are often our most passionate and committed volunteers. They find new purpose in serving and caring for their fellow seniors. They put in the time and energy to go the extra mile, and are always keen to pick up new skills along the way.

Most importantly, our older volunteers come with a wealth of experience. While many of our volunteers are accomplished professionals, the life experiences and empathy that elderly volunteers bring in engaging other seniors help break the ice. During house visits, we will often ask the elderly we visit about their families so that we can better understand their unique circumstances. So we meet seniors who have lost spouses or children, for instance. In moments like these, it brings seniors immeasurable comfort to be with someone who has gone through similar life experiences and is able to empathise with them.

Singapore is one of the world’s fastest ageing societies. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above, up from one in seven today.

But as our experience with the Pioneer Generation Ambassador programme has showed, we can count on our seniors to pull their weight and take care of those in their ranks as well. 

Ageing need not be a greying problem. By honouring seniors in our communities, caring for them, learning from them and supporting them to contribute back, old can be gold.

(The names used in this commentary are pseudonyms to protect the identities of the people mentioned.)

David Neo is Programme Director at the Pioneer Generation Office which mobilises Pioneer Generation Ambassadors to conduct outreach to seniors.