CNA938 Rewind - #TalkBack: A countdown clock or fake reviews ~ ever heard of "dark patterns" that your favourite online merchants are using?
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Online travel agency Agoda has made changes to its Singapore website and mobile app, due to concerns about its problematic features raised by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss more with Ng Ming Jie, Director (Fair Trading Practices Division), Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS).
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CNA
37 minutes ago
- CNA
Singapore to trial autonomous vehicles in Punggol from fourth quarter of 2025
SINGAPORE: Singapore will trial autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Punggol from the fourth quarter of this year, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said on Friday (Jun 27). Mr Siow and Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling were in Guangzhou from Thursday to Saturday to learn about the development and deployment of AVs in China. Noting that AVs are a maturing technology, Mr Siow said that in the short term, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is thinking about how AVs can be used to support the public transport network. "We can introduce a short point-to-point fixed route services in HDB estates, so that we can bring people more conveniently to the MRT station or to places where they want to go," he said. Some AVs will be deployed in Punggol to try out "fixed routes". On why Punggol was picked, Mr Siow said that it is an estate with "quite mature" travel patterns and public transport data shows where people "want to go". The road infrastructure in the neighbourhood is also mature, and regular feedback from residents helps the ministry to decide on the routes. He added that the ministry is working with potential operators and AV companies to decide on the right type of vehicle to bring in. Other factors to consider include the frequency at which these services can be run and whether there is demand from commuters. Ms Sun, who is a Member of Parliament for Punggol GRC, said that MOT has looked at residents' feedback so far in assessing the routes in Punggol. "For instance, there are residents who stay in Punggol West who would like to be able to more conveniently have access to amenities in Punggol East, for instance, like the wet market, the polyclinic. "At the same time, we know there are residents who stay in the eastern side in Punggol who want to have more convenient access to transport hubs like the bus interchange, the MRT station." The AVs will be able to help them travel to the transport hubs and amenities, she added. If the trial in Punggol is successful, the ministry can then look at other places at the turn of the year, said Mr Siow, adding that Tengah could be the next location. Noting that Tengah is designed to be a car-lite and public transport-heavy town, he said: "I think it's a place where autonomous vehicles will be very, very useful. "We can design in some of the things that we will do in terms of transport infrastructure in Tengah, as the roads are being built." In the medium term, AVs can also help alleviate manpower constraints, he said, citing an example of using the vehicles to run night buses more often. CHALLENGES Infrastructure is one factor in deciding how AVs can be rolled out to more areas, said Mr Siow. "We have to look at whether the roads are wide enough (and) whether there are stopping points that are available," he added. He noted that Punggol is a relatively new estate and has the required infrastructure. "I think we want to try it in one particular place first, get really used to how the vehicles can be deployed, and understand how problems emerge and how to solve them. Do that well first before rolling it out to the other HDB estates," he said. Getting drivers, commuters, pedestrians and cyclists used to seeing AVs on the roads and as "part of the general landscape" would be key. "Once people are used to seeing them on the roads, then they know how to deal with them, and they realise that actually, there is no real difference from dealing with any other private car." Another issue that has been talked about with AVs is safety, which is a priority, said the acting transport minister. These vehicles will be painted in a "bright colour", he added. To start, the AVs will have a safety officer on board and run at a "manageable" speed. "For the initial period, we'll probably run them without passengers just so that, again, people know that they are the vehicles on the road, and they get comfortable with them before they start taking passengers," said Mr Siow. According to Ms Sun, the second stage will see AVs take passengers with a safety officer on board, before the final stage, when the safety officer is removed. When asked how fares would be decided, Mr Siow said it has not been decided yet as the government has to discuss this with operators. "If you ask me, it will probably be in the range where it's between the public transport fares today and I suppose, at the top end, would be taxi or private hire car fares," he added. JOBS Over time, people will get used to travelling in autonomous vehicles and the role of the driver may change, said Mr Siow. Drivers in the current ecosystem, including taxi drivers or private-hire car drivers, would transition to the new jobs that the new industry will create, he added. "Others - we have to see how to help them reskill, to retrain and to take up other jobs in the economy that will be generated because of economic change," said the acting transport minister. In the initial stages, it will be a "mix of both" - jobs for drivers in the transport industry and new jobs emerging. The government's job, together with the National Trades Union Congress, is to help drivers make the best use of these opportunities, he said. "I've had group discussions with (union leaders) about how to communicate the changes that are coming to the drivers and to help them with the transition when it comes," said Mr Siow. Having visited AV companies, he noted that there are young people there working as programmers and designers, as well as fleet managers and operations centre personnel.
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Singapore urges calm as PM Wong calls for balance in a world caught between superpowers
CHINA: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's prominent official visit to China, his first sanctioned tour outside Southeast Asia since taking office in May, has underscored Southeast Asia's larger diplomatic plan—an expanding commitment to multilateralism amidst growing ambiguity about U.S. engagement in the region. According to the latest SCMP report, the five-day trip, which coincides with the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore ambassadorial bonds, comes on the heels of a robust electoral triumph for Wong's dominant party. A strategic debut: Wong's China visit signals ASEAN's priorities Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Summer Davos in Tianjin, Wong stressed the value of overhauling old-fashioned global agendas to mirror today's digital and economic realities. He mentioned Singapore's initiatives, along with those of Japan and Australia, to formulate innovative global guidelines for e-commerce. This effort now has the support of more than 70 nations, as a classic example of realistic and logical collaboration among 'like-minded' states. 'This is painstaking work, but there is no alternative,' Wong said. 'A new system doesn't appear by magic—you have to build it.' See also World Bank Growth Forecast Down for Asia Xi's multipolar vision meets ASEAN caution Chinese President Xi Jinping resonated similar demands for fighting 'unilateral bullying' and being on 'the right side of history,' indirectly disparaging U.S. trade protectionism. Nevertheless, specialists continue to be doubtful about whether China will support its pomposity with practical policy changes. Chin-Hao Huang, a political science professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, noted that ASEAN's objectives are to diminish geopolitical aggression, endorse negotiations, and preserve a rules-based order, which aligns with Wong's message. 'To what extent is China going to live up to the expectations of being a responsible stakeholder,' he said. The U.S., Huang added, has shown diverse indicators, hesitating between advocating transnational guidelines and withdrawing into separatist tactics. This contradiction, predominantly under President Donald Trump, has deepened ASEAN's drive to strengthen regional multilateral institutions without over-dependence on any global force. ASEAN hedging in an era of great power rivalry As the U.S. commitment falters, Southeast Asia appears to be silently reassessing, reframing its allegiances, and changing course. A recent Foreign Affairs article contended that nations across the region are 'gradually but discernibly' slanting toward China, even as many profess noninvolvement. Scholars Yuen Foong Khong and Joseph Liow found that while Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have continued to adopt successful evasion approaches, others, such as Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, are evidently aligned with China. See also PM Lee: ASEAN may have to choose sides in US-China standoff Benjamin Ho from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies clarified that Wong wanted to prompt China that a firm and unchanging, rules-based structure would benefit Beijing just as much as its neighbors. 'Given the uncertainty of American commitment to the region, countries in the region, including China, have the responsibility to sort of ensure that the multilateral order doesn't vanish or get totally wrecked,' he stated. Wong recapped Singapore's pledge to maintain solid and durable ties with all major powers, including the U.S., EU, India, and Japan. This calculated balancing act, predictors infer, allows Singapore to function as a political conduit in a progressively diverged world. The future of multilateralism: Rhetoric or reality? While Wong's visit produced new commitments to strengthen and develop bilateral collaboration in areas such as AI, green finance, and digital trade, questions remain about the usefulness of what he calls 'flexible multilateralism.' The model highlights flexible, consensus-driven collaboration among eager partners, distinct from the unyielding, obsolete international institutions that have fought in order to advance. See also Carey Island to get mega port However, with the United States withdrawing from free trade treaties like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and even halting WTO subsidies, many ASEAN adherents are turning to China-led efforts, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to sustain economic impetus. 'The global economic configuration has changed,' Huang said. 'China is now the world's second-largest economy, and Southeast Asia must adjust to reflect that reality, without abandoning the principles that have underpinned its growth and stability.' To that end, Singapore's message is strong and clear-cut—it is not picking sides, but defending and supporting a multilateral future that is adaptable, wide-ranging, and well-matched to a world that is no longer defined exclusively by post-World War II institutions.
CNA
6 hours ago
- CNA
Husband of deceased bakery owner to close her hawker stall but continue her cafe at Bugis
Michelle Goh, aged 35, founder of 2112 Bakery at OG Bugis and a food court stall in Yew Tee, passed away on June 17, 2025. Besides bakes like Nutella cookies and pistachio roll cakes, she was also known for participating in Mediacorp baking show Creme De La Creme. There was an outpouring of condolences from her customers and netizens after broke the news. We caught up with her husband, Ken Yap, 36, over the phone after her funeral last weekend. 'THE KIDS HAVEN'T BEEN EXPRESSING [THEIR EMOTIONS] MUCH' Yap told 'My family and I are coping with her passing. It has already happened and we can only focus on the kids at the moment.' The couple have a son, 12 and daughter, 10. He declined to share the details of his wife's death on record. He added with a sigh: 'The kids haven't been expressing [their emotions] much.' Yap said he will shut down Goh's food court stall at Yew Tee Square's Kopitiam at the end of June but will continue running her fancier 2112 bakery-cafe at OG Bugis. A 'JOYFUL, HELPFUL PERSON' WHO HAD FLUCTUATING MOODS DUE TO DEPRESSION 'She was a joyful person, very helpful, and always trying to put [others before herself],' Yap said. Yet, behind the friendly, bubbly demeanor that her customers saw (and shared about on social media), in private, her spirits often fluctuated due to depression. 'Sometimes her mood can be good, then all of a sudden without any reason, it can be extremely low,' he said. Goh had battled depression since 2018 and had been open about her mental health challenges on social media. Coping with the pressures of running a business exacerbated the situation. In an interview with last August, Goh had said: 'I got very depressed [due to the poor business at her now-defunct bakery in Toa Payoh], so my husband asked me whether I wanted to just shut it down, but I didn't want to waste my efforts. I know I can do it, I just need time.' She added back then that struggling to keep her business afloat affected her mental health. 'I am taking medication that controls my anxiety and depression. So when things get bad, I'll just 'hide' and bake. There are times that I'll shut down [the shop] to think of what's the next step I should take to preserve this business'. The millennial's love for baking was first sparked 'when she was admitted to IMH (Institute of Mental Health) a few years ago', Yap said. 'We bought Nutella cookies for her. On the way back home from the hospital, she was really enjoying them. [Eating them] made her feel better. So instead of having to keep on buying them, she decided to bake her own Nutella cookies.' He added that his late wife's baking journey started as a home-based business with her mother in 2019, eventually growing into a bakery-cafe – first in the now defunct branch at Toa Payoh, then a fancier joint at OG Bugis, plus a rojak-cum-popiah stall in a Yew Tee food court that also sells some of her bakes. '[Running] a business where you have something to worry about plays a part with whatever you're battling with at that moment,' Yap reflected. 'MENTAL WELLNESS IN SINGAPORE IS UNDERRATED' Yap told that he met Goh 14 years ago while working together in admin at a small firm. They got married in 2013. 'Since day one, she has been trying to work her way out [of her depression]. From our experience, the [Singapore] system doesn't have proper support to cater to this group of people,' he said. 'Mental wellness in Singapore is very underrated. There's very little assistance provided and it's very costly to seek treatment. For example, a 45-minute session for a private psychology therapy session costs about S$200. [If you want something cheaper], government hospitals require advance bookings many months ahead,' he said. SHE HAD A FEVER THAT LASTED FOR WEEKS AFTER HER HOLIDAY In the weeks leading up to her passing, Goh had shared photos of her recent holiday in Japan on social media. Yap told us that she developed a fever after the trip, which persisted for weeks. Despite being hospitalised and making numerous visits to clinics over two weeks, doctors were unable to determine the cause of her fever. During this time, Michelle took a break from work. 'It was not a life-threatening fever. Constantly throughout the day, it would subside for a while and come back again,' Yap said. 'She was, of course, feeling especially down during this period.' WHAT'S NEXT FOR 2112 BAKERY? Yap said that Goh's mum, who co-founded the 2112 brand with her, co-owns the business. He said she has been helping with baking on and off, while also working at her own hawker stall in Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre selling other snacks. Yap is not a shareholder and had no role in the business before his wife's death, other than occasionally helping her to clear tables at the cafe. He works full-time in the car trading industry and said his hours are flexible. He said that he plans to keep the bakery-cafe at OG Bugis running. 'Money has been invested into it and at the end of the day, it's something Michelle left behind. I'll try to see what I can do. Closing [the entire business] is the last thing I want.' That being said, Yap has decided to shut down the 2112 food court stall at Yew Tee. He said it has been operating for over a year but has yet to turn a profit. 'It's so I can focus more on the bakery at OG Bugis and cut our losses at the rojak stall,' he added. He is unsure of the exact amount of the losses. HE PLANS TO MANAGE THE BUSINESS FROM NOW ON Before her passing, Yap said his wife managed every aspect of the business – from baking to operations. She also hired bakers, who will continue preparing her recipes, including the bakery's signature items like the Nutella cookies, roll cakes and puffs. '[Michelle and her mum] started this business together, so her mum will ensure the recipes are followed properly moving forward,' he said. Yap plans to take over the management of the bakery-cafe: 'Baking is not my forte, but I will very likely be taking over the business operations, marketing and sales – with some help along the way. 'I've spoken to some of our close friends who have worked in the baking scene for over 30 years, to see if anyone is interested to assist us or take over the bakery. 'Anything is possible, nothing is final for now.' 'MICHELLE'S MUM IS COPING WELL' While the mother and daughter initially started out together, both women later branched out into their own physical stores in 2020, catering to different demographics. Michelle opened 2112 Bakery under an HDB block in Toa Payoh (now-defunct) selling bakes like roll cakes and cookies, while her mum runs a hawker stall called 2112 Snack Delights at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, serving local favourites like you tiao, prawn fritters and curry puffs. 2112 is a nod to Goh's mother's birth date. '[Her mum] is coping well. I'll try not to disturb her as much as possible as the working hours at a hawker centre are longer than at the bakery,' said Yap. INVESTED $120K INTO NEW BUGIS LOCATION Goh told in August 2024 that her first bakery in Toa Payoh suffered a S$19K loss due to low footfall and high rent. In December that year, she decided to relocate from Toa Payoh to a spot with more dine-in space at OG in Bugis, investing S$120K to open her bakery-cafe there. Before the move, Yap said he had advised her to shut the business down instead of continuing to operate it. 'My view was if you're making a loss, might as well just keep it to that [amount] and close it.' He was also concerned about her mental well-being: 'I had my objections, I thought it would be better if she could rest well without doing anything – at least for the time being.' '[But ultimately], it was her decision [to continue with the biz]. I had to give her my full support, regardless of whether I agreed [with her decision] or not,' he said. Yap said that the OG Bugis bakery-cafe business is faring better than it did at the original Toa Payoh outlet – 'by a few thousand dollars in revenue' monthly. While the six-month-old bakery-cafe has yet to break even, it has been profitable. CREME DE LA CREME HOST DENNIS CHEW ATTENDED HER WAKE Michelle participated in season two of Mediacorp baking show Creme De La Creme in August 2023, to gain more exposure for her bakery. She placed sixth out of eight contestants. Yap said that the show's host, deejay and actor Dennis Chew, and guest judge pastry chef Then Chui Foong, along with several contestants, attended Goh's wake, though he didn't get a chance to speak with them. Some 2112 Bakery customers, including those from the previous Toa Payoh outlet, also attended the funeral, said Yap. 'I hope people will remember Michelle through her bakes, knowing that she was the one behind [treats like these] Nutella tarts,' he added. When asked for his fondest memory of her, Yap said: 'Every memory [of her] is dear to me and the kids.' 2112 Bakery (cafe in OG Bugis) is at #02-02 OG Albert, 60 Albert St. 2112 Bakery (with rojak & popiah) is at #02-222/224 Yew Tee Square Kopitiam, 624 Choa Chu Kang St 62. Its last day of operations is on June 30, 2025 (Monday). This story was originally published in 8Days. For more 8Days stories, visit
