Enjoy free delivery for McDonald’s McDelivery orders with OCBC cards!
FREE delivery for McDonald’s McDelivery orders with OCBC cards from 17 Nov 2016
Good news if you are a OCBC cardholder! Enjoy free delivery with a minimum of S$25 spent on food and drinks only when you order McDonald’s McDelivery!
Several doctors have asked the Singapore Medical Council to clarify if they can continue to pay third-party administrators (TPAs) a percentage of their takings when the new code of ethics comes into force next year.
The answer could affect the hundreds of thousands of people here who have employer or insurance health coverage.
The new code from SMC, the medical professional watchdog, comes into effect on Jan 1.
It had said doctors may continue to pay for such services, but added: “Such fees must not be based primarily on the services you provide or the fees you collect and you must not pay fees that are so high as to constitute ‘fee splitting’ or ‘fee sharing’.”
At recent dialogues with SMC to discuss the new code, doctors asked what “primarily” means in this case, and how high do fees have to be to seen as fee splitting. Those who have agreements with TPAs wondered if they needed to terminate their contracts.
There has so far not been a definitive answer. To a query from The Straits Times, the SMC said: “We are deliberating this matter at present and will be providing clarifications to the doctors in due course.”
How each TPA works varies but the majority have some control over the fees charged. They also do the administrative work, which often includes billing, and take a fee for their services.
The practice in the market is for the fee to be a percentage of the doctor’s bill. The majority charge 10 per cent to 15 per cent, though some charge even higher.
This is different from medical concierge services, which collect payment for introducing a patient to a doctor, with little or no additional services.
Tan Chi Chiu, a gastroenterologist and SMC council member who chaired the committee that shaped the new ethics code and guidelines, said a reasonable observer might view 10 per cent of a $20,000 bill “as representing a windfall, rather than a fair business margin”.
Parkway Shenton chief executive Veronica Allen noted that a flat fee might not be the best solution. She said: “A simple flat-fee model may not be equitable in all situations and, in fact, may penalise doctors when they have smaller bill sizes.”
Still, Parkway Shenton, which currently charges a flat 10 per cent fee, has decided to play it safe with a variation of fixed and variable fees to be launched by the end of this year.
Said Ms Allen: “Parkway Shenton is working out a fair fee structure with fixed limits and thus be based on the value we provide… (to) benefit all doctors.”
salma@sph.com.sg
Get MyPaper for more stories.
FLASH SALE: Mandarin Orchard $199++ weekend staycations deal for stays till up to end Jan 2017. Book by 20 Nov
FLASH Sale – Mandarin Orchard $199++ weekend staycation deal from 17 – 20 Nov 2016
FLASH SALE! It’s time to celebrate the holidays when you book Mandarin Orchard’s $199++ weekend staycation deal! Mandarin Orchard is a veritable icon in the local hospitality industry, embodying rich Oriental charm.
A man in his 20s was taken to hospital after his foot was caught in an escalator at Bugis Junction.
The accident happened at about 9.15pm on Wednesday at an escalator leading from the basement to the first storey of the shopping mall.
He was stuck for about half an hour, witnesses said.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was informed to help release the man’s foot from the escalator using hydraulic rescue tools.
He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, SCDF said.
The man, 27, was treated for a toe injury at the hospital, Ivy Ang, general manager of Bugis Junction, said.
“Our staff have visited the shopper and we will continue to be in touch to provide him with the necessary support,” she added.
Passers-by took videos and photos of the accident.
Photo GalleryTim Maohuan, 33, was shopping with his wife at level two of the mall when he noticed a queue building up at the escalator.
He saw three young men holding the man whose foot was trapped. The latter looked calm but worried, he said.
“One of the teenagers asked him to remove his jacket and later his tie, to make him feel more comfortable,” Mr Tim, a flight attendant, told The Straits Times.
Two security guards came over and they tried with the young men to pull the man’s foot out but failed, he noted.
Mr Tim then called the SCDF, which responded within 10 minutes.
“Nobody expected this to happen, it showed that anybody can be exposed to this risk,” he said.
His video, shared on Stomp, showed SCDF officers surrounding the man, who was in a white shirt.
He was sitting in an awkward position while a young man appeared to be supporting him as he went through the ordeal.
When he was successfully rescued, the crowd at the scene applauded.
Read also: Boy’s toes get caught in escalator at Toa Payoh Hub
Stomp, Video screengrabs
SCDF added that it sent one fire engine, a Red Rhino, one ambulance and one support vehicle to the scene.
Ms Ang said the mall is now checking that its escalators are “functioning well and meet safety requirements”.
“The safety of our shoppers is of paramount importance to us.
“We are currently investigating the cause of the incident and will take the necessary actions to prevent a recurrence,” she added.
chuimin@sph.com.sg
Read also: 3-year-old boy’s genitals caught in escalator in Malaysia
Get MyPaper for more stories.
Watsons members, redeem your FREE travel kit at participating stores while stocks last!
Free travel kit for Watsons members at participating stores from 18 Nov 2016
Packing for your year-end travels? This free Travel Kit contains a helpful Travel Checklist with useful tips to make sure you don’t miss out on anything!
Fans of hairy crabs now have to shell out more for the delicacy – if they can get their hands on them.
And changing weather patterns may be to blame.
Suppliers in China, one of Singapore’s main sources for the freshwater crustaceans, told retailers here last week that they have suspended exports of hairy crabs, The Straits Times has learnt.
While no official reason for the suspension has been given, Hong Ying Lien, who imports hairy crabs, said it could be due to a drop in supply caused by unusually warm weather in China.
In cooler temperatures – usually when the autumn chill begins – the crabs put on fat to insulate themselves, produce roe and start mating. The female’s orange-gold roe and male’s off-white milt are prized delicacies.
The delayed cold season has caused supply of these matured hairy crabs to fall by 20 per cent, and prices to rise by 10 per cent, according to Shin Min Daily News.
Photo GalleryHairy crab season usually starts in September, peaks during mid-October and November, and ends in December.
Demand for hairy crabs – known for their flavourful flesh and creamy roe – has been growing.
Last year, Singapore imported 53 tonnes, compared with 42 tonnes in 2014 and 30 tonnes in 2013, figures from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore show.
Read also: The secrets behind autumnal delicacy hairy crabs
Madam Hong, director of High Fresh Trading which sells crabs to restaurants and retailers, is currently getting her supply of hairy crabs from the Netherlands instead.
But the prices of these wild-caught crabs are 20 per cent higher than those from China, which are usually farmed, she said.
Madam Hong, who started importing hairy crabs in 2000, added that this is the first time she has experienced such a suspension.
Hua Ting Restaurant in Orchard Hotel took the dish off the menu last week, two weeks earlier than planned.
“We received a letter from our supplier that China has stopped all export of hairy crabs to Singapore,” said Orchard Hotel’s communications director Amy Ang.
“The quality of the crabs was (also) not up to standard.”
Chinese restaurant chain Peach Garden stopped selling hairy crab dishes last week but this was because of weak demand from consumers.
Said Ho Toon Chian, its assistant director of sales and marketing: “We usually sell it until late-November but the response this year wasn’t very good.
“Consumers seem to be worried about recent news that Hong Kong had issues with its hairy crabs.”
Earlier this month, Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety urged retailers there to stop selling hairy crabs from two farms in China after some samples were found to be contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals, the South China Morning Post reported.
For now, consumers may have difficulty getting hairy crabs from supermarkets.
FairPrice has run out of hairy crabs. At Sheng Siong, they are almost sold out.
Cold Storage and Giant do not sell hairy crabs.
Angel Lim, who is in her 60s and self-employed, said she would not pay more to eat hairy crabs for now.
“Nowadays the crabs are small, there’s little flesh and they still charge more,” she noted.
mellinjm@sph.com.sg
Read also: Where to find the best hairy crabs this season
Photo Gallery
Get MyPaper for more stories.
Unlike most in the football fraternity, Kadir Yahaya believes V Sundramoorthy and his Lions have enough in their arsenal to do well at the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup that kicks off tomorrow.
Several have predicted that the Lions will not survive a Group A that includes defending champions Thailand, co-hosts the Philippines and Indonesia, but the former Singapore international insisted that there is enough ability in the Singapore ranks.
However, the senior players must step up.
Kadir told The New Paper: “If they fail, the coach will be answerable, along with the senior players.
“There is more than enough experience in the squad to carry the team, but they must buck up.”
The former LionsXII assistant coach watched Singapore beat Cambodia 1-0 last Sunday and he was disappointed with the placid football on display at the Bishan Stadium, especially since there were few who took responsibility for the performance of the team.
He said: “The players didn’t rise to the occasion. What they need to do is call the whole team into a room, lock that door and talk.
RETURN IN CASKETS
“I believe that this will be the last tournament for many of the older players like Mustafic Fahrudin, Baihakki Khaizan, Daniel Bennett, Juma’at Jantan, Shahril Ishak and maybe even Shahdan Sulaiman.
“If they don’t do something here, they will be forgotten.
“They may have gone to Manila carrying their luggage, but they’ll be coming back in caskets if they don’t at least make it to the semi-finals.
“But if they do something, they will become heroes,” said Kadir, who pointed out that many of these players did not get much, if any, playing time under former national coach Bernd Stange.
He reserved words for Lions’ skipper Shahril, whom he believes has failed to take any sort of responsibility despite still being the de facto captain of the team.
He said of Shahril, who did not feature in the Lions’ last three friendlies, and is not expected to play much in Manila: “I am very disappointed with Shahril.
“How can he contribute when he just sits on the bench?
“He’s a captain, but he has not even made an appearance against Cambodia, Syria or Hong Kong.
ONLY REALISTIC CUP
“Bernd did not play him much and now Sundram is not playing him much either and, if he hasn’t already asked himself some serious questions, he has to.
“He may not have the legs anymore, but I still believe he has the brains.
“He needs to sit with Sundram and (assistant coach) Fandi Ahmad, and either tell them that he can contribute or if his time is up, he needs to make way for younger players.”
Kadir also reminded the national team that the Suzuki Cup remains the only tournament they are capable of winning.
Indeed, it was the first international tournament that Singapore won, when they clinched the 1998 title, back when it was known as the Tiger Cup.
Singapore have won the tournament four times, a feat matched only by Asean giants Thailand.
Said Kadir: “We cannot afford to fail, we are four-time champions.
“Based on facts, this is really the only competition we actually have a chance at.
“We struggle at the Asian Cup qualifiers, World Cup qualifiers, even the Olympic qualifiers.
“The senior players must get together and remind the team that we can actually win this tournament, and show it on the training ground and out on the pitch.
“Because if they don’t, I fear nobody will remember these players.”
MAN UNITED v ARSENAL
(Tomorrow, 8.25pm, Singtel TV Ch 103 & StarHub TV Ch 228 – Eleven Plus HD)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger downplayed the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic for tomorrow’s clash with Manchester United by highlighting the threat posed by Marcus Rashford.
Asked about the impact of the Swede missing the game through suspension, Wenger replied: “The guy who killed us last year was Rashford.
“I watched him against a Danish team (FC Midtjylland) in midweek (before last season’s Manchester United v Arsenal game) and he scored and I thought this guy could be dangerous.
“His movement was good and he was strong.
“He took everyone by surprise.”
It’s no surprise, though, that the clash between Manchester United and Arsenal has been billed as the latest instalment in the rivalry between Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
The Manchester United boss famously called the Frenchman a voyeur and a specialist in failure while the largely serene Wenger uncharacteristically shoved Mourinho on the touchline in 2014.
But the Gunners boss was keen to highlight that tomorrow will see a clash between two teams and not their managers.
Said Wenger, who has never beaten Mourinho in the Premier League: “You know, we didn’t always lose.
“We have beaten them and there were many draws as well. I think I have won against every manager in the world during my 20 years here and I do not make of this game a competition between two managers.
“It’s between two clubs and two teams and I think I can understand that people want to create controversy, but it’s not that that makes the audience…
“That will be down to the players who are on the pitch.”
However, Santi Cazorla won’t be on the pitch while Arsenal will assess forward Alexis Sanchez on his return from international duty with Chile.
Wenger said he will talk to the 27-year-old to see whether he feels fit and ready to face the Red Devils.
“I haven’t heard a lot because we were in doubt 24 hours before (Chile’s) game against Uruguay,” he said about Sanchez’s fitness.
GOOD SHAPE
“We didn’t know if he’d play or not. In the end they decided to play him. He texted us to tell us he’s in good shape after the game.
“I see him tomorrow morning and then I will see if he can be involved in the squad or not.
“What I will consider is the risk of injury because he played while recovering from a hamstring injury.
“I’ll consider the way he feels as well. On that front you depend on the honesty of the player, how they feel and how they recover.”
Cazorla, meanwhile, has not featured since picking up an Achilles injury during the 6-0 Champions League win over Ludogorets at the Emirates Stadium on Oct 19.
He told Spanish radio station Cadena COPE: “I still don’t know the exact time frame… I cannot say if it will be soon or if I still have a few weeks left.”
Despite the Spanish schemer’s absence, Mesut Oezil is convinced Arsenal can beat any team.
The German, who former Gunners favourite Robert Pires believes has inherited Dennis Bergkamp’s mantle as the club’s maestro, told Arsenal Player: “(We need to) be successful against the big teams, like we were against Chelsea (Arsenal won 3-0).
“We have the quality to beat any team and that’s what we want to show this season.”
However, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson doesn’t believe the Gunners have the quality to pip England’s big guns to the Premier League title.
He told The Daily Star: “No, I don’t see it.
“They played Middlesbrough at home and were very lucky to get a result (0-0). They were 1-1 with 15 minutes to go against Sunderland (Arsenal won 4-1).” – Wire Services.
FUN FACT
0 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (right) has not beaten Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (left) in the Premier League. The Frenchman has won just one of their 15 encounters, the 2015 FA Community Shield.
NTUC Income’s advertisement features mostly real life people re-enacting the incidents that made them heroes. The New Paper speaks to them about their experience
Mr Mohamad Rafiq Azhar, 21, was hailed a hero when he cleared the way for an ambulance in March and a video clip of it went viral.
The Republic Polytechnic student, who was riding his motorcycle along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) at the time, is one of five people featured in NTUC Income’s latest advertisement, People First.
A taxi driver, a bus driver and two construction workers have also been highlighted in the advertisement to celebrate their selfless acts.
Since Oct 23, Income has been running People First, showcasing heroic acts which have been featured on social media or reported by local media.
They include last year’s incidents where passers-by rescued a man trapped under a lorry after an accident at Bendemeer Road junction on July 22, and two construction workers saved a toddler whose head got stuck between the railings of an external clothes drying rack at her Jurong East home on April 23.
The advertisement has garnered over 141,370 views on YouTube since it was uploaded on Oct 23 and is also shown on television, various online platforms and movie theatres.
In March, Mr Rafiq was riding his motorcycle on the PIE when he noticed that cars were not giving way to an ambulance even though its siren was on. He decided to clear the path ahead by using hand signals – and it worked.
He told The New Paper : “I cleared the road for the ambulance until we reached the highway and then I thought I might as well clear the road for them all the way to the hospital.”
Mr Rafiq said he was approached by a production company on Aug 5 and asked if he wanted to be a part of the advertisement.
He said: “I did not think that the advertisement was going to be aired on TV, so I felt very happy when I saw it on TV.
“My mum was the first to watch it and I said, ‘Mum, that’s your son’ and she was very proud of me. She told me to keep it up and to ‘do good and good things will come to you’.”
AMBULANCE
Mr Rafiq said that the woman, who was in the ambulance with her mother, was very grateful for his actions and called him a hero. They have kept in contact through Facebook.
Other heroes in the commercial are SBS Transit bus captain, Mr Jiang Hong, 39, and ComforDelGro taxi driver, Mr Ong Kong Poh, 48, who both helped to put out a car fire.
Mr Jiang, who was operating bus service 153 along Farrer Road, spotted thick smoke coming out of the bonnet of a stationary car on June 6.
He took the fire extinguisher that was on the double decker bus and got permission from his passengers before helping the car driver to put out the fire.
Mr Ong stopped his taxi and passed the fire extinguisher from his cab to the car driver, who used it to put out the fire.
Mr Ong was also on standby with big bottles of water in case more assistance was required.
Mr Jiang said: “I am happy to be in the advertisement and to be able to inspire those in need and encourage others to be more selfless.
“During the incident, I did not think of myself and just rushed forward. It was only while filming the advertisement that I realised how dangerous the situation really was.
“But there was no time to think, and I just felt that if nobody went down to help, somebody could get hurt,” he said.
Mr Ong and Mr Jiang were presented with the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s Public Spiritedness Award for their quick thinking and selflessness on June 10.
The rest of the cast in the commercial are actors.
Mr Subramanian Shanmuganathan and Mr Ponnan Muthukumar, the construction workers who saved the toddler’s life, were not asked to re-enact the scene due to safety concerns.
RESCUE: Screengrab of two construction workers, re-enacted by professional stuntmen for safety reasons, save a toddler whose head was stuck between the railings of an external clothes drying rack on April 23. (Above) The actual rescue. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG
Professional stuntmen were used instead.
Mr Marcus Chew, chief marketing officer of Income, said these heroic acts reflect the spirit of putting the interest of others above themselves.
He said: “These people proactively came forward when the need arose.
“Such a spirit of putting people first is consistent with the way Income conducts our business. It is who we are and it is what makes us different.”
Passers-by pin down man who allegedly took upskirt photos of woman at Toa Payoh MRT station
Four men chased a middle-aged man who had allegedly taken upskirt photos of a young woman at Toa Payoh MRT station.
The man ran off towards the HDB blocks in the area after the woman shouted for help, but the men caught up with him after about 100m.
They pinned him down for about 10 minutes before the police arrived to arrest him.
The woman, who is in her 20s, was ascending an escalator at Exit C of Toa Payoh MRT station at 2.25pm on Wednesday when she realised a man was taking upskirt photos of her, Shin Min Daily News reported.
A bank employee who wanted to be known only as Mr Chua, 25, said the woman was shouting for help while pointing at the man.
Four men chased the suspect while the woman ran behind them.
CHASE
A 19-year-old saleswoman, who wanted to be known only as Miss Lim, was waiting for her friends when she saw the four men chasing and catching the middle-aged man.
The man, whom she described as well-built, tried to break free after he was pinned down.
She told Shin Min: “A woman in a blue dress caught up with them and I overheard her saying that the man was trying to take upskirt photos of her.”
Miss Lim said the middle-aged man kept begging to be released.
“First he said he had asthma, then he said he had to answer his phone. He kept pleading with the four men to let him go,” she said.
Shin Min understands that the middle-aged man, who also claimed he has high blood pressure, said he would cooperate only if he received medical treatment for it.
The police said they were alerted to a case of public nuisance at Block 175, Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, and a 43-year-old man was arrested.
The alleged victim was visibly shocked, trembling and crying.
Nurse Lau Wing Yup, 32, said he saw a crowd at Block 175 and thought someone had fainted and needed help, so he got off his bus at a nearby stop. He then saw the woman sitting at a nearby bench, crying.
He told TNP: “Several people went up to try to comfort her, but she continued to tremble uncontrollably. She was very emotional.”
Police investigations are ongoing.
