In August last year, student Tang Yin Tong, 21, was walking around Nex shopping mall when he was approached by a sales representative from Israeli skincare company Dead Sea Premier.

She greeted him and before he knew it, she had applied some cream on his hand.

Mr Tang says he had no choice but to follow her into the store so that he could wash the cream off.

She then proceeded to tell him about other products that the brand carries and that he should invest in them.

He says: “I bought the first product because I just wanted her to stop pestering me. But she held on to the first product I bought and started introducing more.”

He ended up spending about $600 on six products, ranging from an exfoliating gel to cream masks.

When he got home, he realised that he did not need all the products and his mother encouraged him to file a complaint with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

He did so within the week and received a full refund for his purchases within a month.

Dead Sea Premier is one of a handful of independent skincare brands that have received complaints over the last four years for their high pressure sales tactics.

There have been at least 18 complaints against such brands, including American brands Orogold and Forever Flawless.

According to Case executive director Seah Seng Choon, these complaints have “increased over the years”.

Three were made in 2013 and 2014. In the first four months of this year, seven complaints have been filed.

In total, the beauty industry received 1,921 complaints relating to questionable sales tactics from 2013 to April this year.

These complaints received by Case include, but are not limited to, cases involving skincare products, facial and spa packages, and manicure and pedicure services.

The increase in complaints against independent skincare brands could be due to the proliferation of such stores at malls here in the last four years.

The beauty products they sell claim to contain special ingredients such as gold, diamond, and minerals from the Dead Sea.

Prices can range from $49.90 for an exfoliating gel from Dead Sea Premier to $450 for a diamond-infused eye cream at Forever Flawless, to $7,000 for a serum infused with gold and plant extracts from Orogold.

Another thing they have in common are sales staff who are usually positioned outside the store, armed with free samples.

The Straits Times was approached on four occasions and sales tactics were the same.

A free sample is offered and if taken, the salesman proceeds to give you his rehearsed product spiel.

He offers to let you try the products.

He not only tells you how good the products are, but also implies the ones you are using must not be working, not so subtly pointing out the flaws in your appearance.

He tells you how much you need the brand’s serums and creams, and when you hesitate because of the price, you are offered special discounts of up to 30 per cent, which the salesman says are usually reserved for VIP clients.

When contacted about Mr Tang’s case, a spokesman for Dead Sea Premier acknowledged the complaint and said it “returned the full payment to the customer even though there was no complaint about the products’ quality”.

On the high-pressure sales tactics, the spokesman said the company “processes thousands of transactions every month” and also encounters product returns and “sometimes even complaints”.

He adds: “We estimate our product returns to be well below industry average. To our knowledge, the global average of product returns in retail stands at around 9 per cent – our average stands at less than 1.5 per cent.”

The brand declined to disclose sales figures, but says that more than 50 per cent of purchases are made by returning customers.

Customer service associate Alisa Wu, 28, says she filed a complaint against Orogold after spending about $500 at its store at Raffles City in June last year.

After making her first purchase, the sales staff held on to her credit card and offered her more products.

“I asked for my credit card to be returned, but she kept asking me to wait while she took out more products,” says Ms Wu, who ended up buying two more products as she was in a rush.

Though she blames the experience on her “bad luck”, her sister convinced her to file a complaint with Case.

Because she had purchased her first item willingly and was pressured into buying only the second and third items when her credit card was held, Ms Wu says Case recommended that she ask for a refund only for the latter two items.

She got her refund within a month of filing the complaint.

The outlet has since closed and the distributor who ran it is not known.

Orogold has five outlets in Singapore, which are run by two different companies that were not involved in the Raffles City store.

Two outlets at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands are run by 3Bay and a spokesman for the company says it has not received complaints from Case in the last four years.

Apex Retail runs the Orogold outlets at Orchard Gateway, Westgate and Wisma Atria.

According to Case, the Orchard Gateway store has received three complaints while the one at Westgate received one.

When asked about the complaints, Mr Yogev Itzhak, sales director of Apex Retail, says customer satisfaction is a “top priority”.

“The company has a very strict policy towards customer service and any breaching or undermining of the company policy will be dealt with accordingly and this ranges from warning letters to dismissals, depending on the severity of the incident.”

When asked if sales staff are trained to pressure customers to buy more, he says: “We train our staff to give the best service – we always gather all information required from the customer in order to address the customer’s needs specifically and thoroughly. This ensures that we retain our customer base and satisfaction is always met.”

He says the company has served more than 300,000 customers in the last three years here.

One satisfied Orogold customer is housewife Nora Indrani, 56.

She says she has been buying the brand’s 24K Deep Day Moisturizer Cream ($118) for a few years.

“I like the texture and I feel like it keeps my skin looking young.”

At the end of the day, Case’s Mr Seah advises shoppers who encounter pushy salespeople to “not be shy to say no and walk away from the seller”.

And if they end up buying and are dissatisfied, they can always file a complaint with Case.

Dead Sea minerals, diamond, gold in skincare: do they work?

Dr Suzanne Cheng, consultant at the National Skin Centre, says there are no studies in scientific literature supporting topical application of gold to improve skin texture or fight the signs of ageing such as fine lines and sagginess.

She says the benefits from cosmetic products containing goldmaybe the result of the product’s base, usually a cream or lotion, or other ingredients present.

According to Forever Flawless’ website, its products contain “genuine natural diamond powder”, which Dr Cheng says acts as an exfoliating agent. However, there are many other less expensive exfoliants available in the market, she says.

“In my opinion, 24K gold and diamond are mostly marketing hype and not worth the expense.”

She adds that “there is evidence supporting the benefits of Dead Sea minerals”.

She says that in one study of 30 patients, bathing in a solution with 5 per cent salt from the Dead Sea enhanced moisture within the outermost layer of skin and reduced skin roughness and inflammation in subjects with atopic (hyperallergic) dry skin.

“However, the active ingredient in the final productmust not degrade during the manufacturing and storage process, otherwise it may lose its efficacy. In addition, the active ingredient must be absorbed in adequate amounts into the skin so that it is able to reach its target in the skin and exert the desired effect.”

At the end of the day, the best action to take for good skin is prevention, says Dr Cheng.

“One must remember that sun protection, regular moisturising and avoiding smoking remain essential steps to prevent premature skin ageing.”

Know your consumer rights

1. Do not be pressured into buying the products sales promoters are touting. Do not be shy to say no and walk away.

2. The conduct of such sellers is covered under the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act and aggrieved consumers have the right to seek redress.

Go to www.case.org.sg/ consumer_guides_cpfta.aspx to find out more about the Act.

An example of unfair practice is to do or say anything, or omit to do or say anything, if as a result, a consumer might reasonably be deceived or misled.

3. Any false claimmadeis a breach of the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice and consumers should report such false advertising to the Advertising Authority of Singapore, which is a council of the Consumers Association of Singapore, or Case.

4. Consumers who need help can call the Case hotline on 6100-0315, file their cases online at www.case.org.sg or go to the Case office at Ulu Pandan Community Building, 170 Ghim Moh Road, 05-01. It is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday.

Advice from Case executive director Seah Seng Choon

melheng@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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Chests of drawers and dressers sold by Swedish furnishing giant Ikea may be linked to the deaths of six children in North America, but the products will continue to be sold here.

Ikea Singapore is not recalling the furniture pieces as they meet safety standards here and are safe when attached to the wall, a spokesman said yesterday.

But many local buyers of the furniture said they normally do not secure the drawers or dressers to the wall as they were not aware of the hazards posed.

On Tuesday, Ikea announced a massive recall of 36 million chests and dressers, including its popular Malm model, in the United States and Canada, after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said the children – all aged three years and younger – were killed when an Ikea chest or dresser fell on them.

There will be no recall in any other countries, the spokesman for Ikea Singapore said.

The recall by its US and Canada counterparts was based on a local voluntary standard which applies to free-standing clothing storage units in North America. Those sold here meet the European Safety Standard, one of two global safety standards that the Singapore authorities require furniture retailers to comply with.

“Our drawers are safe when anchored to the wall as per the assembly instructions, using the tip-over restraint provided with the product,” he said.

According to the spokesman, there was just one reported case of a dresser tipping over in Singapore, which occurred more than 10 years ago. It resulted in minor scratches.

Ikea Singapore customers who need a replacement tip-over restraint kit can contact the retailer to order one for free.

Housewife Sheela Murthy, 29, who has a three-year-old son, stores her toddler’s toys and clothes in a Malm dresser that is not attached to the wall.

“It’s very shocking to know this has actually toppled and led to the deaths of children,” she said. “My son has played in front of this dresser so many times, often when I’m in the kitchen.

“I will be anchoring the dresser to the wall, or moving it to my room, out of my son’s reach, now that I know of the hazard it poses.”

Housewife Janice Lee, 35, who has a 77.5cm-tall Malm dresser, said: “It’s not a tall dresser and my maids use it to store their clothes, so I don’t think anchoring it is required.”

Mr Ameerali Abdeali, president of the National Safety Council of Singapore, urged Ikea Singapore to re-evaluate the design of its furniture “with full safety considerations built in at the design stage”. Issuing a warning to anchor the product to the wall is not a sufficient safeguard as buyers may not be able to follow the assembly instructions given, he said.

He added: “Preventive measure in anticipation of accidents is always a better alternative to any remedial measures put in after an accident has happened.”

This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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The death of a three-year-old boy who was found face down in a learners’ pool at Tampines Swimming Complex was a “tragic misadventure”, a coroner said yesterday.

The boy and his eight-year-old brother had gone to the pool on Jan 8 with their father – a lifeguard and private swimming coach who was going to give lessons.

The two boys are believed to have gone to a metre-deep learners’ pool without their father when the younger sibling – who was about the same height as the pool – got into difficulties.

Just after 6.30pm that day, Mr Joseph Tongson – who had taken his family swimming there – noticed the younger boy lying motionless face down in the water.

The 39-year-old pulled the child out and placed him at the side of the pool before shouting for help.

Two lifeguards and a passer-by came to help.

Mr Tongson and the boy’s 49-year-old father were among those who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

Paramedics arrived and continued resuscitation until the boy was taken to Changi General Hospital.

He was transferred to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital for further specialised care but died at 1.30am the next day from lack of oxygen to the brain due to water immersion.

Yesterday, State Coroner Marvin Bay said there was no basis to suspect foul play. He noted in his findings that CPR was administered in a timely manner by the lifeguards.

“Prompt administration of CPR had saved many individuals from drowning, although not in this case, possibly due to a long time lapse between his initial submersion and his discovery,” he said.

In the wake of several drownings of young children in public facilities, Coroner Bay said several preventive principles have become clear and should be observed to prevent similar accidents.

An adult should actively watch children at all times while they are in a pool, paying constant attention and free from distractions, like talking on the phone, reading or socialising. The adult should keep swimming children within arm’s reach and in sight at all times.

“Drowning has been aptly dubbed to be a ‘silent killer’, and children may slip into the water silently without any splashing or screaming,” Mr Bay said.

Children who cannot swim or are weak swimmers should wear personal flotation devices when they are just playing near a pool. A child may enter or fall into the deep end of the pool unnoticed.

Agencies like the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Life Saving Society have been looking into the area of drowning prevention.

Sport SG is looking into the deployment of an early drowning warning system to enable lifeguards to conduct more expeditious rescues.

Coroner Bay added: “This court would, of course, stand ready to help in these efforts, by providing data or other appropriate resources to assist concerned agencies.”

This article was first published on Jun 30, 2016.
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A town council is ramping up efforts to curb littering after residents in three new blocks of Choa Chua Kang flats were plagued by bulky refuse blocking their walkways and rubbish chutes.

Chua Chu Kang Town Council (CCKTC) yesterday announced plans to install CCTV cameras in areas where dumping is rampant, station council officers at Building Service Centres, and step up enforcement to catch errant contractors.

Last weekend, the Housing Board had to clear accumulated rubbish and fix jammed refuse-handling equipment attached to the central rubbish chute at Block 817A Keat Hong Link.

Rubbish had choked the chute between the second and eighth floors, resulting in a foul smell that attracted pests.

An HDB spokesman said improper disposal of renovation debris and bulky refuse, such as a cabinet door, had caused the blockage. The problem was rectified by Monday.

Large amounts of litter and unwanted furniture have been spilling onto walkways and cluttering lift landings in at least three blocks in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7 and Keat Hong Link.

Residents said they have been dealing with the problem for several weeks.

The situation improved after CCKTC workers manually removed the waste over the last few days.

Mountain of trash attract flies at new HDB estate in Choa Chu Kang

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Lianhe Wanbao

When The Straits Times visited the area yesterday, rubbish previously strewn in piles around the bins had been cleared and sorted neatly into the bins. But a faint foul smell still lingered in the air.

A secretary who wanted to be known only as Ms Chong, 56, who lives in Block 817B, said the situation has improved.

She added: “The town council reacted fast. Seeing as this is a new place, it wasn’t that bad.”

She added that it was a good learning experience for the town council and suggested that bigger bins be placed in the estate.

Home owners were allowed to collect keys to units in the new blocks of flats in March, and they have been carrying out renovations and moving in progressively.

The Housing Board advised residents to “exercise consideration” by not throwing bulky items down the rubbish chutes and to seek help from their renovation contractor or the town council if they need to do so, it said.

“This will go a long way in ensuring that rubbish chutes will not be obstructed, and refuse can be cleared smoothly for the benefit of all residents,” said the spokesman.

CCKTC also urged residents to report cases of illegal dumping and misuse of the refuse chutes to the town council by calling 6569-0388 or e-mailing info@ccktc.org.sg.

This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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The family of a Singapore permanent resident killed in a guest house fire on an Alaskan island earlier this month have told The Straits Times they believe the blaze was caused by a gas leak.

Indonesian businesswoman Silvana Regina Sutanto, 59, had been asleep in the main cabin of the Spirit of Alaska Wilderness Lodge on Kodiak Island when the fire broke out at about 4am on June 2.

Her son Shaun Gozali, 30, and daughter Danielle Gozali, 22, escaped through a window while her South Korean daughter-in-law Taeri Kim, 22, was pulled out of the burning building by the lodge owner. All three were taken to hospital.

At her wake at the St Ignatius Church in King’s Road yesterday, her elder brother Hanny Sutanto said the Alaskan authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze but he believes it was likely due to a gas leak.

“What else could it be?” he told The Straits Times. “There was no alarm, nothing. When (her son) woke up, the fire was already very big. He ran to the manager’s room and knocked on the door. Only then did he (the manager) realise there was a fire.”

The fire reportedly burned through two buildings and took more than six hours to extinguish as poor visibility hampered rescue efforts.

Ms Sutanto leaves two sons and a daughter.

Mr Sutanto requested privacy and space for the family to grieve, adding that his sister was a very private person.

“She loved nature, photography and God’s creations,” he said.

A director of five wellness and investment companies in Singapore, Ms Sutanto also ran a photography blog.

On her Instagram account, she had been documenting her travels to places such as the Arctic Circle, Canada and Kenya. Her last post on June 1 showed her and her daughter at the Alaskan lodge.

Family and friends who paid their respects yesterday said Ms Sutanto was well known in the Indonesian community here.

“She had a lot of friends, everyone knows her as a strong mother and a successful businesswoman,” said Indonesian housewife Lina, 47, who goes by one name.

Ms Sutanto’s cousin-in-law, who did not wish to be named, said friends and family were flying in from Indonesia to pay their respects. She said: “(Silvana) was a very good mother – all her three children, she raised them to be very independent.”

This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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Security checks and patrols at checkpoints and key transport nodes in Singapore have been stepped up in the wake of the terror attack at an airport in Turkey’s capital Istanbul, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said yesterday.

The ministry did not disclose details.

The move follows the triple suicide bombings in Istanbul’s main Ataturk international airport on Tuesday night.

There were similar security efforts in Singapore after other terror attacks, including those in the French capital Paris in November last year and the bombings in the Indonesian capital Jakarta in January.

Security in Singapore was also boosted following the blasts at the airport and metro station in Brussels, Belgium, in March.

An MHA spokesman said its agencies, including the Singapore Police Force and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, have stepped up checks and patrols at the air, land and sea checkpoints, as well as the key transport nodes.

“We will calibrate security measures according to the threat environment,” she said.

At least 36 killed in suicide bomb attacks at Istanbul airport

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, Gullnaz Baig

This article was first published on Jun 30, 2016.
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