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Malay Mail
10-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Red flags for ‘rewards': Teen girl loses more than money to scammers, ‘Ah Long' on Telegram app
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — A 14-year-old girl was duped into paying money and threatened to have her nude pictures publicly exposed after falling for an online fraud scheme, the New Straits Times reported today. Here's how it happened. The teenager who was keen to make extra money, stumbled on a Telegram chat group that offered users a reward of RM250 a day to complete several tasks online. She joined and paid RM500 upfront, only to find out that she was locked out of the payment platform after completing the assigned tasks. She was then told to pay RM1,000 to settle the issue and recommended to apply for funds from a loan shark called 'Terry' who told her to send nude pictures of herself as collateral. After doing so, she was still refused entry into the online payment platform; instead, she was told to apply for a bigger loan of RM3,000 this time. But 'Terry' rejected her second application, supposedly because she had yet to settle her initial debt, forcing the girl to disclose the matter to her parents who collected RM1,500 as settlement. But this too was snubbed by the loan shark who allegedly said the payment was now too early and 'messed up his system'. This time, he demanded the girl pay RM15,000. 'The loan shark threatened me and my family that if I didn't settle my debts, he would release my naked photos online,' the 14-year-old girl, who went to MCA Public Services and Complaints Department here today, was quoted as saying. MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said the 14-year-old girl was one of three people who reported having been blackmailed after sending their nude photos to loan sharks today. 'We are extremely concerned that even someone as young as a 14 could get caught up in borrowing from loan sharks and end up facing extortion,' he was quoted as saying. The girl's case is currently under investigation by the police's Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division, according to Wanita MCA secretary-general Ivone Low. Low urged the government to take concrete steps to protect this vulnerable group.
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing speaking to award recipients at the Public Service Festival 2025 and Public Sector Transformation Awards Ceremony at One Punggol on July 8. SINGAPORE – Double down on good work, innovate together with boldness and keep the focus on citizens. This is what public servants need to do for Singapore to stay ahead of the curve and meet future challenges, said Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing on July 8. Mr Chan, who is also Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, said Singapore can be proud of having done well by global standards, in areas such as quality of life and government services. But he cautioned against complacency, saying that other countries – including Singapore's neighbours – are making great strides. In some cases, they have overtaken Singapore, he noted. 'We must be keenly aware that with today's disruptive technologies, many countries that were previously deemed to be behind us can actually leapfrog what we have achieved over the many years,' said Mr Chan at the Public Sector Transformation awards ceremony held at One Punggol. 'For us, standing still is not an option,' he added. Mr Chan was speaking to close to 4,000 public officers – some 800 in person and another 3,000 online. A total of 140 awards were presented to agencies and public servants that did well in delivering services, innovating and developing themselves and their teams. In his 30-minute speech, the minister laid out three priorities for the public service. The first involves making it even easier for people to access government services. He gave the example of ServiceSG centres – including the one at One Punggol – where 600 services from more than 25 government agencies are under one roof. If a senior citizen visits a ServiceSG centre for help with housing, for instance, staff can also offer help for related needs such as healthcare subsidies and social support. This eliminates the need for multiple trips to different agencies. Mr Chan also cited the GoBusiness platform , where businesses can apply for around 200 licences issued by 26 agencies – or around half of such licences – as well as the Municipal Services Office that coordinates estate maintenance issues. But there is scope to go further – for example, allowing a business to apply for the other half of its licences on GoBusiness, he added. He called for a mindset shift, saying this is more important than 'just processes and procedures'. A second priority is for public servants to look beyond their respective agencies. 'We have to constantly look for new opportunities for us to work together to use the resources that we have to achieve the maximum good for our people and country,' Mr Chan said. In his speech, Mr Chan said these changes are necessary because of the challenges Singapore faces, including financial constraints and rising expectations from the public. Singapore's ageing population means healthcare spending will increase and 'tighten our fiscal space considerably,' he said, adding that climate change and the accompanying carbon budget is another constraint to be managed. 'Many of these constraints are interconnected, and therefore the solutions also need to be developed holistically and across different silos, achieving different trade offs across different domains,' he said. On rising public expectations, he said Singaporeans have got used to the convenience of service within a few clicks of the mouse. He said: 'This is what they have achieved in the commercial sector, and when Singaporeans transact with the Government and uses government services, they expect no less, if not better. And we will have to rise to the occasion.' He noted how Singaporeans also have expectations on how they can participate in the process and partner the Government in finding solutions, and welcomed this as an opportunity for the public service to tap on the capabilities of Singaporeans. 'That requires us to rethink and rework our processes so that we can embrace such contributions that are forthcoming by fellow Singaporeans,' he said. He called for a similar approach to businesses that are restructuring and reinventing operations and products in the face of major economic disruptions, and that have similarly high expectations of the Government. 'The tighter our resource constraints going forward, the more we need to think broader and integrate our work and our resource expenditure so that we can achieve bang for buck,' he said.
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge reopens: What changes have been made?
The Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge was built 150 years ago. Roughly 12,000 people live on the island, separated from the mainland. "You're looking at ... 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles that goes back and forth on the island on daily basis," said Dayo Akinyemi, director of the Wayne County Department of Public Services. In recent years, the bridge has required regular maintenance. After the latest repairs, the new speed limit is now 25 miles per hour. "We wanted the vehicle to hit the bridge at a lower speed, because that punch that a vehicle gives the bridge when they impact it had about additional 10 to 15% impact on that bridge," Akinyemi said. Other measures have been installed to encourage drivers to reduce speed, such as speed humps, speed feedback signs, and speed cushions. "They will ensure speed, but also they will ensure that vehicles that are overweight are held accountable if you violate the weight restriction that is put on the bridge," Akinyemi said. County officials say all these steps are being done to extend the life of this bridge. A long-term solution, looking at different options for the bridge, such as repairing or replacing it, is in the works. "We have a request for proposal on the street. Our goal is to have this kind of study begin before the end of the year," Akinyemi said. In the meantime, the plan is to inspect the bridge every six months.
National Post
30-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
The world's longest waiting list? It'll take you 100 years to obtain this Canada flag
Applying to the federal government for a Canadian flag that once graced Parliament Hill is now an act of extraordinary optimism – or intergenerational foresight. Article content Public Services and Procurement Canada says the wait list for a Peace Tower flag now extends more than 100 years. Article content Article content That means it's now vastly easier to land season's tickets to the Green Bay Packers (40-year wait) or Manchester United Football Club (25-year wait) than it is to secure a Maple Leaf flag from Parliament Hill. Article content Winnipeg's Richard Dyrkacz, 41, applied for a flag in May – even after learning it will be the next century before one arrives in the mail. Dyrkacz thought the wait list might be 30 or 40 years, and was shocked to learn he's unlikely to see the day he can raise his Parliament Hill-flown flag. Article content Article content 'Let's be honest, I probably will not live to 140,' he said in an interview. 'But I was thinking, 'If I have kids or grandkids, it will be a nice legacy that could be passed down to them.' Article content Then Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson marked the occasion – a symbolic graduation from British dominance – with a Parliament Hill speech. Article content 'Under this flag,' Pearson said, 'may our youth find new inspiration for loyalty to Canada, for patriotism based not on any mean or narrow nationalism, but on the deep and equal pride that all Canadians will feel for every part of this good land.' Article content Article content The red-and-white Maple Leaf replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which featured the Union Jack and Canada's coat of arms. Article content Pearson's speech also marked the end of a bitter, sometimes ugly debate over the design of the new flag, introduced as Canada approached its centennial. Conservative leader John Diefenbaker wanted the new flag to reflect Canada's British heritage, while Pearson argued for a forward-looking design that eschewed the country's colonial past and did not inflame Quebec nationalism. Article content The Maple Leaf's clean and simple design proved a popular, durable symbol of the Canadian identity. Article content The demand for Parliament Hill flags is one expression of that fact. Article content In 1994, the federal government launched a program that allowed ordinary citizens to request a flag used on Parliament Hill. They could receive either the Peace Tower flag or one of four smaller flags that fly above the East and West Blocks, and elsewhere on the Hill.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Ottawa Liberal MP says proposed interprovincial bridge ‘does not meet Ottawa's needs'
An Ottawa Liberal MP is not onboard the proposed route for a new interprovincial bridge in Ottawa's east end, saying the bridge at Kettle Island 'does not meet Ottawa's needs' and will not remove trucks from the Lowertown neighbourhood. The Liberal government committed to building a new interprovincial bridge connecting Ottawa and Gatineau last December, which would connect Montée Paiement in Gatineau with the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa. The bridge would cross the Ottawa River at Kettle Island in Ottawa's east end. 'I believe that, to this day, we have yet to identify a comprehensive solution – particularly on the Ottawa side,' Mona Fortier, MP for Ottawa-Vanier-Gloucester, said in a letter to constituents. 'The eastern bridge project via Kettle Island – specifically the corridor between the Aviation Parkway and Montée Paiement does not meet Ottawa's needs. It does not guarantee the removal of heavy trucks from the King Edward corridor which is a crucial issue for safety, air quality, and traffic flow in the downtown core.' There are currently five interprovincial bridges in Ottawa, with the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge the only bridge on the eastern side of Ottawa. Fortier says Public Services and Procurement Canada did not consult with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation about 'the already overcapacity Highway 417' and the Highway 174 interchange in the east end. 'This new bridge cannot become a 'bridge to nowhere.' It must be part of a coherent, integrated, and sustainable regional solution that does not simply shift the problem into new communities,' Fortier writes. 'With an estimated cost between $3 and $4 billion, this project represents a major investment that does not offer clear or equitable benefits for our region. Furthermore, based on my many conversations with residents and numerous community associations, this project is not a priority.' Kettle Island Bridge map A map showing the location of the proposed Kettle Island Bridge over the Ottawa River. Jan. 30, 2025. (Kimberley Fowler/CTV News Ottawa) Fortier add studies conducted by the National Capital Commission and Public Services and Procurement Canada on the Kettle Island option 'have not demonstrated clear benefits' for Ottawa. 'It is time to shift the discussion toward a comprehensive solution that connects Highway 50 to the 417, addresses the issue of truck traffic in the downtown core, and ensures fair and respectful outcomes for all communities,' Fortier said. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has said the proposed new interprovincial bridge is not a priority for the City of Ottawa, and encouraged the federal government to fund transit. The NCC launched public consultations last week on the proposed new interprovincial bridge, with an online survey available until July 10 'Your input will also inform the initial project description, which will be submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada as part of the federal Impact Assessment process,' the NCC said. According to the NCC, the feedback from residents will play a key role in identifying the project's 'most important benefits from a community perspective,' understanding 'potential impacts on people, places and the environment' and shaping the initial planning and design principles for the bridge. The survey asks participants to rank what topics are most important to them for the eastern bridge project: transportation and connectivity, community impacts and health, the environment and economic opportunities. Participants are also asked about their concerns for the interprovincial bridge project. The new bridge at Kettle Island could be completed between 2032 and 2034.
