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Independent Singapore
4 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘More embarassador than ambassador.' Donald Trump's pick for envoy to SG roasted online
SINGAPORE: United States President Donald Trump's choice for ambassador to Singapore had a humiliating time before the Senate earlier this week. 'I'm trying to help you here,' Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth told Dr Anjani Sinha, an orthopaedic and sports surgeon Mr Trump handpicked for the position. 'But you haven't even done your homework.' Ms Duckworth asked Dr Sinha a series of questions regarding Singapore's economy, the US Navy's work with Singapore, and when the city-state will chair the ASEAN, which the would-be envoy visibly struggled to answer. This resulted in the Senator telling him: 'You are not taking this seriously. You think this is a glamour posting. You think that you're going to live a nice life in Singapore, but what we need is someone who's actually going to do the work.' @thechillicrap Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth reprimands Dr. Anjani Sinha after the US ambassador to Singapore nominee fails to answer questions on the country and its ties with the US during a Senate hearing… #singaporetiktok #tiktoksingapore #tiktoksg #tarrifs ♬ original sound – thechillicrap – thechillicrap The senator underlined how important Singapore is to the United States, especially in the region, in the context of the tensions between the US and China. Ms Duckworth told Dr Sinha, 'I want to reinforce for you again right now. You are not currently prepared for this posting. Period. And you need to shape up and do some homework.' As the clip of Dr Sinha's grilling was shared on social media, some commenters took to calling him more of an 'embarassador than ambassador.' 'Anjani Sinha has absolutely zero expertise or experience in international relations or diplomacy whatsoever,' a Facebook user noted. Another wrote, 'Jialut la. As an HR practitioner, this is a big FAIL for an interview. The end of US supremacy is near.' Dr Sinha, a staunch supporter of the Republican Party in the US, was nominated for the post by Mr Trump in March, which means he's certainly had ample time to prepare for the ambassadorship to Singapore. In a post on Truth Social , the US President wrote, 'I have no doubt that Anji will strongly represent our Nation's interests, and put America first. Congratulations, Anji!' He is said to have been friends with Mr Trump for over 10 years, according to an introduction from Senator Lindsey Graham. In May, the U.S. Department of State touted Dr Sinha's 'deep social and cultural ties to the Indo-Pacific region' and wrote that he is 'uniquely positioned to relate to its key stakeholders.' 'His appreciation for Singapore's role as a financial hub, and his own business expertise — particularly in the life sciences and healthcare sectors – render him well qualified to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore,' it added. Despite Dr Sinha's poor showing this week and the backlash that ensued online, he is still likely to be confirmed as ambassador to Singapore, given the Republican Party's majority. /TISG Read also: U.S. Defence Secretary compares Donald Trump to Lee Kuan Yew, but Singaporeans say 'ah gong confirm flip in his grave' See also Billionaire Bezos buys estate for $165 mn: report
Independent Singapore
4 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Singapore HDB flats dubbed most 'attainable' homes among APAC's capital cities, but netizen says 'must compare until it's affordable'
Photo: Depositphotos/tang90246 Featured News Property Singapore News SINGAPORE: Singapore's Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats have been named the 'most attainable homes' among Asia Pacific's (APAC's) capital cities, according to the 2025 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index. While it sounds like good news, many locals questioned what 'attainable' really means in Singapore, with one netizen remarking, 'Must compare to other countries until it's affordable.' Singapore Business Review reported that ULI defined 'attainable' housing as homes costing no more than five times the median annual household income, which is consistently met by HDB flats. Notably, among 51 urban housing markets surveyed, only seven were found to offer attainable home ownership, and Singapore's HDB system was the only one in a national capital. Despite rising urban costs across the region, the report found that the city-state's public housing system, which houses 80% of the population, remains within reach for median-income Singaporean households, compared to those in Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Sydney. See also Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin's family adopts stray kitten Still, some Singaporeans online said the housing prices in the city-state continue to rise. One said HDB flats are 'public housing, yet prices are so high.' Another wrote, 'Our HDB flats are getting so costly. I worry for the future generations. They will be slaves to the flat for the rest of their lives.' One commenter also pointed to the shrinking sizes of homes in the city-state, saying, 'Look at the new flat sizes. It is not liveable at all. Look up at the windows of the nice new flats. So many clothes [are] hanging there because [there is] no proper laundry space!' The ULI report explained, pointing to Singapore's HDB system, that 'Operating a similar scheme is more difficult in countries where the government has less control of freehold land.' While many cities in APAC face rising prices, limited land, and speculative demand, Singapore's centrally planned and subsidised housing has helped keep home ownership within reach for citizens, although access remains limited for non-citizens due to the 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on foreign buyers. /TISG Read also: 'Why Indonesia?': Singaporean couple share 5 reasons why they moved after their HDB MOP Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only) () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Independent Singapore
4 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Nurse says ex-manager didn't return S$1.5k in approved transport claims, seeks advice on Reddit
SINGAPORE: A nurse who recently left her job at a home care company took to social media to share her frustration after her former manager allegedly failed to reimburse her S$1,500 in approved transport claims. In a post on the r/askSingapore forum, the nurse, who has eight years of experience, explained that she had been verbally assured from the start that Grab fares for house visits would be fully reimbursed. 'At the end of the month, I received my payslip, and the reimbursement amount (S$1.5k) is written clearly on the payslip, but in my bank account, I have only received my basic salary,' she wrote. 'There was no reimbursement nor any explanation.' She then reached out to the HR and finance team, who told her they would check and get back to her. However, several days went by with no response. When she approached her manager, the manager claimed she had never seen the transport claim form and referred her back to HR. 'I kept the record of the transport claim form, with the admin's name as the one doing the claims and the manager's name as the approver.' Feeling uneasy about the company's practices, the nurse eventually resigned. Unfortunately, four days after her last working day, the reimbursement still hasn't been paid out. Seeking advice from the local community, she asked, 'Can I raise this issue to MOM/TADM? Would they consider this a case?' adding that she's unsure whether to inform her manager before taking action. 'I'm feeling so alone in this, and I appreciate any advice,' she wrote. 'THREATEN to report to MOM.' In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor advised her to give the company one final follow-up before escalating the issue to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). 'Follow up once more; attach the manager's or company's messages or written policies stating that transport claims are claimable,' they said. 'Also, attach your payslip. THREATEN to report to MOM, and that should be enough to sort this all out.' Another shared, 'I kena this before. The company still didn't pay three months' worth of reimbursement even months after I left. The HR replied with one-word responses, and I was very patient, waiting three to four weeks before asking for an update. In the end, I threatened to report to TADM and MOM, and only then did they quickly pay me.' A third, however, felt that a warning was not necessary at all. 'No need to inform,' they wrote, adding, 'Just go straight to MOM.' Where to seek help Employees who are not reimbursed for work-related expenses outlined in their employment contracts are entitled to seek legal recourse. According to Singapore Legal Advice, they can file a salary-related claim with the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) to recover the unpaid amounts. Read also: 'It feels kind of late': Woman says she feels behind in life for only starting to travel in her 30s Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
