An angry man trying to drag another motorist online for overtaking him got his shaming attempt backfired.
The man had been hogging the fast lane, after all.
A man who goes by the name Vincent Kim did not appreciate getting overtaken by a Skoda sedan driver while driving along the two-lane viaduct last Wednesday (Feb 5). So upset was he that two days later, he uploaded dashcam footage on Facebook, berating (in all caps) the other motorist for “rushing”.
Vincent was particularly mad because the Skoda driver had allegedly endangered the lives of his family inside the car.
PHOTO: Facebook screengrab
Instead of getting people on his side, the man was the one at the receiving end of internet condemnation. You see, netizens watched both clips and determined that Vincent had been… road-hogging.
SINGAPORE: Major golfing tournament HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore was cancelled on Monday (Feb 10) due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The decision was made after “continued health concerns and recent advisories in some Asian countries that large-scale events should be cancelled or postponed as a result of the coronavirus,” according to an LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour statement.
It had been scheduled to tee off on Feb 27.
A tournament spokesperson told CNA there were 32,000 attendees at last year’s games. The organisers were “looking to build on that figure (and) we were tracking well for 2020”.
Minjee Lee of Australia in action during the HSBC Women’s World Championship at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN
After the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) alert level was raised to Orange on Friday, the Ministry of Health urged organisers to cancel or defer non-essential large-scale events.
Here is a list of other high-profile events that have been postponed or cancelled because of the coronavirus:
1) MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES AND EXHIBITIONS (MICE)
On Monday (Feb 10), the Swedish embassy in Singapore said it was calling off the Sweden-Southeast Asia Business Summit due to the latest developments regarding the coronavirus. It was previously slated to be held at the Capella Hotel from Feb 13 to 14.
“In consultation with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Business Sweden and local counterparts we have concluded that cancelling the Summit is the correct decision at this juncture,” the embassy said in a press statement.
Other events being deferred include the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers’ inaugural Asian Media Leaders Summit – which has been moved from March to July – and the American Chamber of Commerce’s Asia Pacific Business Summit.
Even before the DORSCON level changed, several organisers decided to suspend their events due to concerns over the risk of infection.
The meeting, which was into its 17th edition this year, is one of Citibank’s largest annual conferences held in the region, attracting more than 1,000 institutional investors, issuers and C-suite financial professionals.
Winner’s concert was cancelled just days before the four-member group was slated to perform on Feb 8, while GOT7 postponed their Feb 22 concert indefinitely.
GOT7 (Photo: Livenation.sg)
Other artists who have called off their concerts here include Korean acts Taeyeon and NCT Dream as well as Hong Kong singer Miriam Yeung.
3) ARTS AND SPORTING EVENTS
The National University of Singapore said on Monday that it will not be holding its annual arts festival this March, although discussions are ongoing to move most of the student productions to a later part of the year.
Several performances under the Esplanade’s annual Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts event, which ran from Jan 31 to Feb 9, had to be cancelled as the artistes were “unable to travel from China to Singapore due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus situation,” according to posts on Huayi’s Facebook page.
The Exquisite String Puppetry by Quanzhou Marionette Art Inheritance and Protection Center; Unveiling Kun Opera: Four Dreams in the Camellia Hall – Demo and Performance by Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe were some of the productions that had to be dropped.
Saturday’s performance by Dunman High School and Maris Stella High School and a talk by the Alzheimer’s Disease Association were also cancelled.
On Friday, the People’s Association announced on Facebook that it would not hold the Chingay 2020@Heartlands, which was supposed to start last weekend and continue into March.
All programmes by the Special Olympics Singapore, as well as the National School Games, have also been canned.
This time, the restaurant found itself hauled over the coals for allegedly selling surgical masks to diners at a price deemed unreasonable by netizens.
In a Facebook post on Feb 9 (which has since been deleted), the eatery had shared that it was selling surgical masks exclusively to diners at $21.40 a box, with each table only allowed to purchase a box.
The now-deleted post. PHOTO: Screengrab/House of Seafood
Except, as it turns out, the Facebook post had come about as a misunderstanding.
SINGAPORE: Taxi and private-hire drivers in Singapore are set to be issued with 300,000 masks that they can offer to passengers who are unwell, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA), as the country ramps up its defence against the global coronavirus outbreak.
From Tuesday (Feb 11), 300,000 surgical masks will be distributed to the drivers via their taxi and ride-hailing companies in packs of four, said LTA in a press release.
These masks are intended for drivers to offer to passengers who are unwell, but do not have a mask and need a ride to seek medical attention.
“Passengers should also play their part. In particular, passengers who are unwell are reminded to be socially responsible and don a mask, before their taxi or private-hire car ride,” said LTA.
The LTA, together with the National Taxi Association (NTA) and the National Private Hire Vehicle Association (NPHVA), will also progressively increase the number of temperature screening stations in Singapore for all drivers, said LTA.
These measures come after a taxi driver and a private-hire car driver were among seven new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus announced on Saturday.
Neither had any known links to other cases.
The LTA said then that it was working with operators to ramp up cleaning and hygiene measures.
It also advised drivers to wind down their windows after trips to ventilate their vehicles, as well as clean and disinfect their cars more regularly.
Earlier this month, a care package was announced for both taxi and private-hire drivers who are quarantined due to the virus.
These drivers are eligible for a S$100 per day allowance from the Government during the time they are quarantined.
All taxi operators, as well as private-hire firms Gojek, Grab and Ryde, have said they will waive vehicle rental fees for quarantined drivers.
All taxi operators, as well as Gojek, Grab, Ryde and Tada, have also committed to a one-off allowance of at least S$100 for quarantined drivers.
Meanwhile, drivers who are members of either the NTA or the NPHVA are also eligible for a one-off allowance of S$200.
In times of crisis, there are always the unscrupulous ones that take advantage of the grim situation and selfishly profit from supplies that they very well know are in high demand.
Aside from panic-buying rice, toilet paper and condoms (for some reason), folks are desperately looking to stock up on face masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus outbreak. Alas, this has led to some pretty unsavoury endeavours, like buying boxes of respirators and face masks in bulk, leaving next to none for others in need.
And yes, people can stoop even lower than that. Armed with boxes of face masks, scalpers are selling them off at higher prices than usual to make a killing. One man was allegedly doing so at the carpark of Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre yesterday (Feb 9), claimed Facebook user Alexie Tan.
SINGAPORE – There is no risk of Singapore running short of essential food items today even as it relies heavily on imports, but food security cannot be taken for granted, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said on Monday (Feb 10).
Climate change is one factor that will seriously challenge the nation’s food supply strategy, he said, citing how erratic weather, changes in crop growth patterns and water shortages are putting pressure on food supply around the world.
Natural and man-made disasters as well as population growth could also affect the availability of supplies, he added.
“This is why Singapore cannot take food security for granted, nor can we rely on the same old game plan,” he said.
Mr Masagos was speaking at the launch of the Singapore Food Story – which outlines Singapore’s strategies in ensuring its food security – at Gardenhouse at Jurong Lake Gardens.
The Republic has proven resilient in the past to short-term supply disruptions because of astute planning and the connectivity of the transport network, he said.
Right before the weekend rolled through, the powers that be raised Singapore’s risk assessment of the coronavirus infection from DORSCON (Disease Outbreak Response System Condition) Yellow to DORSCON Orange.
The raised status (just below Red, the most severe) simply means that the outbreak is deemed to have moderate to high public health impact. Sure, there’ll be mild disruptions on daily life like increased temperature screenings outside venues and stronger quarantine measures, but it’s not exactly calamitous enough for a strict lockdown.
Unfortunately, a significant portion of the population saw the code orange activation as something else — a time to prepare for a nonexistent apocalypse.
SINGAPORE: A woman in her 30s suffered redness, extreme itchiness and a burning sensation after she stopped using a cream that she bought online, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Monday (Feb 10).
The woman, who had used Perliere Mimi Pearl Cream for more than two years, had developed steroid withdrawal symptoms, said HSA.
The authority added that the product contained antibiotics and a potent steroid, which could “pose serious health risks if used without medical supervision”.
In the news release, HSA warned the public not to purchase or use the cream as well as another two health products: Tian Ma Tu Chung Seven Leave Ginseng and Impactra.
TIAN MA TU CHUNG SEVEN LEAVE GINSENG
A man in his 50s developed “abnormal blood cortisol levels” after long-term consumption of Tian Ma Tu Chung Seven Leave Ginseng, said HSA. This condition can generally cause weakness, muscle and joint pain, low blood pressure or shock to a patient.
Tian Ma Tu Chung Seven Leave Ginseng. (Photo: HSA)
After carrying out tests on the product, which was bought in Malaysia, HSA detected an antihistamine, chlorpheniramine, and a potent steroid, dexamethasone.
“Dexamethasone can only be obtained through prescription by a doctor while chlorpheniramine should be obtained from a doctor or pharmacist,” said the authority.
“Long-term unsupervised use of steroids like dexamethasone can cause increased blood glucose levels (which may lead to diabetes), Cushing’s syndrome (a round face or ‘moon face’ appearance and upper body obesity with thin limbs), and other serious adverse effects.”
HSA said it had alerted the public about the same product in August 2011.
An elderly lady had obtained it from a relative who bought it from Malaysia, and suffered Cushing’s syndrome, high blood pressure, hallucination and memory loss.
IMPACTRA
Impactra. (Photo: HSA)
In the press release, HSA said that it was carrying out a routine surveillance on health product Impactra when it detected several potent ingredients.
“Impactra was detected to contain sildenafil, tadalafil and chloropretadalafil,” said HSA. “These are prescription medicines used for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction.”
The amount of tadalafilin the product was also up to 10 times the maximum daily dose, it added.
“These high levels can cause serious adverse effects such as low blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and painful and exceedingly long erections (priapism) which can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction if left untreated,” HSA added.
Impactra, which is sold by Gold Tree, was marketed for “male sexual enhancement” and claims to also “boost libido” and “causing an increase in testosterone level”.
The product also claimed falsely that “its all-natural formula ensures no inclusion of harmful synthetic chemicals”, when it actually contained three prescription medicines, added HSA.
Both companies selling Perliere Mimi Pearl Cream and Impactra have been directed by HSA to stop the sale of the respective products.
HSA added that it is working with local e-commerce websites to take down affected postings.
“Be wary of health products that promise to deliver quick and miraculous effects, or carry exaggerated claims,” said HSA in the release.
It added that members of the public should avoid purchasing health products from unfamiliar sources overseas, and exercise caution when buying such products online.
The outbreak of the coronavirus here has led to a surge in demand online for grocery and food deliveries as people look to avoid crowded areas.
E-commerce marketplaces for groceries that The New Paper spoke to said they have seen an increase in sales volumes.
Mr James Chang, chief executive officer of Lazada, which manages RedMart, told TNP it has seen a 40 per cent increase in orders on the week of Jan 23, when the first infection was confirmed here.
Monitoring figures over the last four weeks, he said: “RedMart shoppers are buying about 30 per cent to 40 per cent more dry and fresh groceries. Sales for health and beauty products have almost doubled.”
A Lazada spokesman added it was no longer mandatory for its customers to physically sign on the company’s devices for proof of delivery.
He added delivery representatives will be allowed to sign on the customer’s behalf in their presence.
“We want to better protect both our customers and riders. This way, we can minimise or even eliminate social contact where necessary,” he said.
SINGAPORE: The general road traffic situation improved in 2019, with fewer accidents, injuries and fatalities, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a news release on Monday (Feb 10).
Statistics from the Annual Road Traffic Situation 2019 report from police also showed that the number of fatal accidents and fatalities fell to a record low.
However, police said an increase in the number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists continued to be of concern.
The number of accidents and violations from speeding and red-light running also went up.
RECORD LOW FOR FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, FATALITIES
Overall, the number of fatal accidents decreased by 3.3 per cent to 116 cases in 2019, from 120 cases in 2018. The number of fatalities decreased by 5.6 per cent to 117 in 2019, from 124 in 2018, the statistics showed.
The road traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population decreased to 2.05 per cent in 2019, from 2.2 per cent in 2018.
The number of fatal accidents and fatalities in the past five years. (Photo: SPF)
The number of accidents resulting in injuries decreased by 0.3 per cent to 7,666 cases in 2019 from 7,690 cases in 2018. This was also the trend for the number of injured people, which saw a decrease of 2.4 per cent to 9,773 persons in 2019 from 10,018 persons in 2018.
For accidents involving drink driving, there was a decrease by 14 per cent to 153 cases in 2019, from 178 cases in 2018. The number of people arrested for drink driving also decreased by 3.4 per cent to 1,969 persons in 2019, from 2,038 persons in 2018.
The number of accidents resulting in injuries and injured persons in the past five years. (Photo: SPF)
While the drink-driving situation has improved, the Traffic Police said it will continue its enforcement efforts and “take action against irresponsible motorists who drink and drive”, and put other road users and themselves at risk.
MORE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS
Despite improvements in those areas, trends involving elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists were cause for concern.
Traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians increased by 33.6 per cent to 322 cases in 2019, from 241 cases in 2018, according to the latest statistics.
The number of elderly pedestrian fatalities increased by 12.5 per cent to 27 people in 2019, from 24 in 2018. More than half of the fatal accidents were due to jaywalking.
Police said they will be working with Lion Befrienders Service Association and NTUC Health Cooperative Limited to engage volunteers to reach out to senior citizens and educate them on the dangers of jaywalking and how to stay safe on the roads.
For motorcyclists, the number of accidents resulting in injuries increased by 1.9 per cent to 4,444 cases in 2019 from 4,361 cases in 2018.
There was also an increase of 3.0 per cent in the number of motorcyclists and pillion riders who sustained injuries to 4,985 in 2019 from 4,839 in 2018.
INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS INVOLVING SPEEDING, BEATING RED-LIGHT
The number of speeding-related accidents also increased slightly by 1.3 per cent to 728 cases in 2019, from 719 cases in 2018. The number of speeding violations increased by 16.4 per cent to 183,059 cases in 2019, from 157,312 cases in 2018, statistics showed.
The number of red-light running accidents increased by 14.2 per cent to 153 cases in 2019, from 134 cases in 2018. The number of red-light running violations increased by 7.1 per cent to 59,368 cases in 2019, from 55,433 cases in 2018.
Police urged motorists to obey traffic rules and adhere to road and vehicular speed limits at all times.
To deter red light running, 12 more red light cameras will be installed by March 2020, in addition to the 240 cameras that have been installed, police said.
