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Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- General
- Independent Singapore
Uni student says her parents are encouraging her to get married while still in school for BTO and other government benefits
SINGAPORE: While most university students are busy chasing deadlines, maintaining their GPA, or doing part-time work, one young woman is being nudged towards something a little more life-changing: marriage. Posting on Reddit's 'SGexams' forum, she shared that in the middle of a family conversation about her future, her parents suggested she consider getting married before graduation. Her parents made the case that since many Singaporean guys only finish their studies in their late twenties or thirties because of 'National Service and university,' it might be smarter for her to settle down earlier. They believed that if she already has a serious boyfriend and both families are on board, there's really no reason to wait. They also pointed out the practical side of things. If the couple gets married early, they can apply for a 'BTO (build-to-order) flat' sooner and tap into 'government benefits for married couples.' In their view, this would give them a head start in life. '[They said] we will get all the gov't subsidies for married couples early on! We have a head start in life, and by the time we graduate, we will be moving into BTO earlier than everyone else if that's how it works. STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE. Why rush to settle down after graduation when you can settle everything during school,' they told her. Wondering if this was indeed a great idea, she asked the local community: 'Do any couples actually marry while both (or one) are still attending school? Is this a common sentiment in SG? Will gov't start encouraging early marriage soon?' 'Uncommon, only happens if parents are absolutely loaded.' In the comments, several Redditors said that while the idea is uncommon, it's not entirely unheard of. A few mentioned that they knew peers, usually from wealthier families, who got married while still in university. 'My friend got married while in uni, but his partner is working,' one shared. 'His dad provides the down payment for his BTO. Dad is rich.' Another commented, 'Uncommon, only happens if parents are absolutely loaded.' Others chimed in to say they disagreed with the woman's parents, arguing that marriage is a serious commitment that shouldn't be rushed just for the sake of housing benefits. One said, 'Personally, I feel that marriage is a lifetime commitment. You must feel ready for it and not on the advice or push from others, no matter how beneficial it sounds.' Another pointed out, 'How sure are you that your bf/gf is the one you want to be with forever? I personally feel it's better to work first. In a work environment, you get exposed to more people of different age groups, personalities, who know you may meet someone whom you feel is more suitable for you?' A third shared, 'I got married early at 22 due to family circumstances and regretted it. I told my kids don't rush and go out see the world and establish your careers first.' Is BTO influencing marriage trends in Singapore? A study by the National University of Singapore (NUS), reported by The Business Times, found that marriage rates have increased since the launch of the BTO scheme in 2001 and its expansion in 2011. Among women aged 25 to 29, the rate rose from 45% to nearly 60%. For men aged 30 to 34, it increased from 22% to 37%. The study also observed a rise in divorce rates. Among women aged 30 to 34, the rate increased from 4% to 7.2%, while for men aged 35 to 39, it rose from 3.5% to 6.3%. Read also: Employer says her helper refuses to care for her 3 yo daughter, claims she left child in soiled diaper and standing in her own vomit Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
What happened to the Kray Twins as Amazon Prime drops gripping crime series?
Ronnie and Reggie Kray were two of the most notorious gangsters in British history – and a new Amazon Prime true crime special is set to lift the lid even more on their reign of terror. The Kray twins, born in Hackney in 1933, were prominent criminals, involved in several arson attacks, bribes, robberies, illegal gambling rackets, and even murders. Known for being as fascinating as they were frightening, the Krays have been the subject of countless documentaries over the years, including Amazon Prime's new documentary Krays: London Gangsters. While their private lives were full of dark secrets, their public exploits saw the pair become London celebrities, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dame Joan Collins, Dusty Springfield, and many more. As part of the Swinging Sixties scene in London, the Krays also gained enough of a reputation to establish links with the New York mafia over the years. London Gangsters, available on Amazon Prime Video from July 19, charts the Krays' rise and fall and features interviews with those who knew them best. Ronnie and Reggie Kray were identical twins, born on October 24, 1933 in Haggerston, Hackney, East London. Reggie arrived 15 minutes before his brother. The sons of wardrobe dealer Charles and mother Violet Annie Lee, they grew up in the East End with older brother Charles. Another sibling, sister Violet, was born in 1929 but died in infancy. The pair took up boxing as youngsters, being encouraged to do so by their maternal grandfather, Jimmy 'Cannonball' Lee, and later turned professional. However, this ended after Ronnie and Reggie were called up to do National Service in 1952, only to be given a dishonourable discharge from the Army after assaulting a corporal and going absent without leave. They were subsequently arrested and imprisoned, where their behaviour became only worse, with the pair dumping a latrine bucket over a sergeant and handcuffing a prison guard to the bars of their cell. Their criminal records and dishonourable discharges ended their boxing career, and saw them turn towards a life of crime instead. They bought a run-down snooker club in Mile End, from which they started their criminal gang, The Firm, and became involved in several crimes, including armed robberies, assaults, and murder. Keeping their dealings secret, the Krays hit celebrity status in the 50s and 60s as trendy nightclub owners, running the Knightsbridge venue Esmerelda's Barn. It was there that they became friends with key figures in the House of Lords, prominent MPs, London socialites, and famous faces including Barbara Windsor, and Judy Garland. The twins' life of crime eventually caught up with them after Ronnie shot George Cornell dead at the Blind Beggar Pub in Whitechapel in March 1966. It was the first murder either of the Krays committed. Cornell belonged to a rival gang, the Richardsons, who ran a scrap metal business in public but were also a secret criminal organisation behind closed doors. Although nobody was convicted of Cornell's murder at the time, the Krays soon turned one killing into another – their next victim was Firm member Jack 'The Hat' McVitie in October 1967. After McVitie failed to follow through on a contract to kill their financial adviser, Leslie Payne, the pair lured him to a flat in Stoke Newington where Reggie stabbed him to death. Many members of the Firm believed that McVitie did not deserve to die and, upon hearing about the killing, began to wonder if they would befall the same fate. The Krays were arrested in 1968 after an investigation by Detective Leonard 'Nipper' Reed, who had slowly built up enough evidence against them after two previous investigations in 1964 and 1967. After having previously been met with a 'wall of silence' when investigating the pair, some Firm members began to talk, and the pair were detained in May 1968. In March 1969, the two were eventually sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 30 years for the murders of Cornell and McVitie. Ronnie was a paranoid schizophrenic and was committed to Broadmoor Hospital in 1979, where he remained until his death from a heart attack in 1995, aged 61. Five years later, Reggie was eventually released from Wayland Prison in Norfolk on compassionate grounds – he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and died weeks later. The Krays' life story has been told and retold across various TV shows, documentary series, books, and feature films over the last 50 years. In 1990, The Krays – the first of several films about the criminal twins – was released, starring Spandau Ballet brothers Gary and Martin Kemp as the two Kray twins. More Trending 15 years later, Tom Hardy starred as both Reggie and Ronnie Kray in the 2015 biopic Legend, which was based on the 1972 book The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins, by John Pearson. A low-budget two-part film series, titled The Rise of the Krays and The Fall of the Krays, was released in 2015 and 2016 after receiving funding from West Ham board members David Sullivan and Terry Brown. The Krays: Dead Man Walking was released in 2018 and focused on the death of Kray associate Frank Mitchell, while 2021 film Code of Silence focused on the investigation by Nipper Read. View More » A sequel to Dead Man Walking, titled New Blood, focusing on the suicide of Reggie's wife Frances, was planned for release, but is yet to see the light of day. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: TV fans have less than two weeks to binge on 'brilliant' free streamer MORE: This horny book adaption's cast guarantees everyone will be obsessed with the film MORE: Shadow Labyrinth review – Pac-Man meets Metroid
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Defence minister: Health issues, university offers behind 30pc absentee rate in PLKN 3.0
KOTA TINGGI, July 17 — Around 30 per cent of participants from the first two series of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 failed to report for training due to various reasons, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He said the main reasons cited were health issues and offers to pursue higher education. 'So far, each series of PLKN 3.0 has recorded an absentee rate of about 10 to 15 per cent, mostly due to valid reasons such as illness or having just offered a university placement. He said this to reporters after attending the opening ceremony of the Kembara Lestari Kota Tinggi with Universiti Malaysia Pahang Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) at Felda Lok Heng Barat here today. Mohamed Khaled said PLKN 3.0 is still in the trial phase, with full implementation expected to begin next year. The programme, which maintains a 45-day training period, has received positive feedback from participants, particularly on the military training elements, which were deemed effective in instilling discipline and building identity. 'Participants from the previous two series gave good feedback and requested that the military training content be improved,' he said. PLKN 3.0 Series 1/2025 was held at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Kuala Lumpur for 45 days, from Jan 12 to Feb 25. Series 2/2025 ran from May 11 to June 24, while Series 3 will take place from Sept 7 to Oct 21 at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment Camp and the 505th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Pekan, Pahang. — Bernama
AsiaOne
08-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
'No room for complacency': Chan Chun Sing says Public Service must continue to innovate in face of rising expectations, Singapore News
Singapore's civil service must continue to innovate in the face of rising public expectations and global competition, said Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (July 8). Giving a speech at the opening of the Public Service Festival in One Punggol, Chan, who is also Minister for Defence, said that the Public Service as contributed much to Singapore's survival and success over the past 60 years — citing National Service and the Central Provident Fund as "key examples of our pioneering spirit". He added that while Singapore is also ranked highly in many global indices comparing quality of life and government services, other countries are catching up or have "overtaken us in certain areas". Chan gave an example of how Estonia has become the first county fully digitise its government services, and China is serving over a billion citizens with artificial intelligence-powered services. "These are all calls to action for us to continue to hone what we have done well, to keep improving so that we stay ahead of the curve… to attract those investments that will create good jobs and pay good wages for our people," he added. "My greatest concern is that we become complacent. Success must not become the albatross for our future." Chan said that among his prioritises, the Public Service must continue to innovate with citizens at the centre of "what we do". "Nobody enjoys going to the doctor and having to be asked the same question over and over again. Everyone expects them to tell the doctor once and the record will be there to be shared across different agencies," he said. "And that is the same standards we expect across all agencies." Chan said that there has been progress in the government agencies coordinating their services together to deliver a more "seamless and integrated experience" for the public. This includes ServiceSG centres which provide Singaporeans with access to services from across 25 different government agencies — from resetting Singpass accounts to filing taxes and passport renewals. Another way for the different government agencies coming together to maximise resources, according to Chan, is through building integrated lifestyle and community hubs like One Punggol and Our Tampines Hub. "We have swimming pools, a library and a ServiceSG centre here," he said. "It's a bit like a Swiss Army Knife. Chan said that such projects was not easy at first as it requires the different agencies to "synchronise their requirements and make compromises". "But imagine if we have done it differently, where each agency continues to only do things for themselves. First, it will have cost us much more. Second, it would have required much more land," he added. "But most importantly, our service delivery will be fragmented, and what the public can see and enjoy will also be fragmented." A total of 140 awards were presented at Tuesday's event to public agencies and officers for their initiatives and innovations. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) was awarded the Transformative Agency of the Year Award for implementing passport-less clearance at Singapore's air and sea checkpoints, as well as through the QR code system at the land checkpoints in Woodlands and Tuas. ICA said that its New Clearance Concept allows the authority to upskill the job roles of over 3,000 frontline officers, adding that it enables them to take on higher-value roles to better safeguard the borders. "ICA is honoured to receive the Transformative Agency of the Year Award, which recognises our efforts in transforming checkpoint operations and affirms our commitment to delivering a more seamless, efficient, and secure immigration clearance experience under the NCC," said Senior Assistant Commissioner Kelly Lim, director at ICA's Operations Division. "ICA will continue to refine and enhance our checkpoint operations to deliver a world class travel experience for travellers and keep Singapore's border secured." As for Carolina Lee from the People's Association (PA), serving the community meant more than wining the Exemplary Service Excellence award. The 59-year-old first joined PA in 1992 as a childcare teacher and is currently manning the counters at Toa Payoh East Community Club to help residents who need help. It was where she met Mr Lim, an elderly blind wheelchair user who first sought help with his CDC vouchers. She later volunteered after her working hours to take him to a Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic days before Chinese New Year this year, and coordinated with a social worker to ensure that his meals are delivered uninterrupted during the holidays. "I feel really good. Helping someone is very contagious. Not only to the residents, but also our colleagues," said Lee. chingshijie@
AsiaOne
08-07-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
'I spend whole day teaching him': Differently abled son learns to cook char kway teow as hawker parents battle serious health issues, Singapore News
When serious health issues rendered them unable to cook, a hawker couple taught their special needs son how to fry up plates of char kway teow at their stall in Ang Mo Kio. In an interview with food portal BestFoody, the mother revealed that her husband has cancer and has hence semi-retired because of his health. He was the main chef of Bendemeer Fresh Cockles Fried Kway Teow at 409 AMK Market & Food Centre. She said that her husband had taught her and their son how to dish up a good plate of char kway teow, but she cannot cook anymore after suffering a stroke. "After I got a stroke, my hand has no strength," she said. "But my son knows how to fry kway teow — if he didn't know how, we would have to close because my husband is sick and can't cook." Born with special needs, their son did not finish school and cannot read, and was also exempted from National Service, the mother told BestFoody. Once, a customer even scolded her son for supposedly giving side glances. The mother had to explain that her son was not staring, and that it was the way he looks around. Teaching her son the trade took tough love and time. "I spend the whole day teaching him what to do but he always forgets, that's his nature... but he's much better now," she said, adding that he communicates more with others. "Initially, the taste was not good, but he slowly improved and now, customers say it's okay and almost the same as what my husband fried," the woman recalled. "Sometimes he (the son) says he wants to rest but I say no. You say you're tired but so are mum and dad... You have to be independent, mum is still worried and you have to learn it yourself." "I hope customers can return and try; my son now has about 60 per cent to 70 per cent of my culinary skill. Give some encouragement to young people," the father said in the video. "If I recover, I'll take over and keep going." [[nid:600982]]
