I thought u like ang mo. Ang mo is the one started this term. Nobody is polite in this forum.
-
IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Let's talk about Indians
- Thread starter LITTLEREDDOT
- Start date
Australian father, son drowned trying to save S'porean tourist in Victoria: Coroners' report
Mr Andrew Powell (left) and his father, Mr Ross Powell, died trying to rescue Mr Sanjay Bhaskar. PHOTO: TEAM NAVY ASRL/FACEBOOK
David Sun
Correspondent
Apr 27, 2022
SINGAPORE - There were many warning signs leading to the beach cautioning visitors about the dangers of swimming in the ocean.
But the Singaporean duo, who were tourists in Australia, had walked past the signs before one of them took a dip in the water.
The man, identified as 30-year-old Sanjay Bhaskar, soon found himself swept about 100m offshore and swallowing seawater.
Although he was eventually rescued and survived, an Australian father and son duo drowned trying to save him.
Mr Andrew Francis Powell, 32, and his father, Mr Ross William Powell, 71, died on April 21, 2019, while trying to save Mr Sanjay.
The Coroners Court of Victoria released the findings on the incident earlier this month, concluding that the rescue boat they were using had suffered a catastrophic fault before it capsized.
Mr Andrew Powell, fondly called Andy by friends and family, was then looking forward with his partner to the birth of their first child.
He never got the chance to see or hold his daughter.
On the morning of April 21, 2019, Mr Sanjay was visiting the Sherbrook River near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
He was with a Singaporean friend, identified as Mr Abhinash Balachandran Pillai, whose age was not disclosed.
The Singaporeans parked at a nearby carpark before walking down a track to the mouth of the river, which led straight to the Indian Ocean.
They had passed many signs along the way warning them about the risks of swimming in the unpatrolled and unpredictable waters.
But Mr Sanjay had described himself as a good swimmer, and intended to wade into waist-high water.
He claimed to have stood on the beach and saw that the waves did not seem dangerous.
Mr Abhinash, however, said the waves were "pretty high", with some more than 2m high.
On April 21, 2019, Mr Sanjay was visiting the Sherbrook River near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. PHOTO: WAYANDFARER.COM
Mr Sanjay stood in the water for about five minutes before waves began crashing over him and dragging him away from the shore.
He tried to signal to his friend that he needed help, but Mr Abhinash thought he was just asking for a photo.
Mr Sanjay was then swept about 100m away from the beach, and was swallowing seawater as he was pushed closer to a dangerous cliff face.
At about 10.35am, Mr Abhinash called emergency services for help.
About 10 minutes later, a multi-agency emergency response was activated, alerting the Victoria Police, the State Emergency Service and the Country Fire Authority.
Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club was subsequently informally alerted.
The Powells, who were active volunteers and members of the club, responded to the incident with Mr Phillip Younis, who was a captain of the Port Campbell Country Fire Association and a life member of the club.
The trio launched out at about 11.10am on their rescue boat, the Pelican.
But, during the rescue attempt in rough sea conditions, the vessel's motor encountered issues.
At around 11.25am, a wave crashed into the boat, capsizing it and tossing the trio into the water.
The Powells were active volunteers and members of the Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club. PHOTO: PORT CAMPBELL SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB/FACEBOOK
Mr Younis suffered a fractured and dislocated pelvis in the incident, and was unable to help the Powells, who he saw were floating motionless and face down in the water.
Mr Younis was later rescued and airlifted to a hospital.
By some chance, the capsized Pelican had drifted in the water near Mr Sanjay, who was then able to grab hold of a line attached to the boat.
He was also able to grab hold of a life jacket that was thrown into the water by other rescuers from above the cliff he was dangerously close to.
After spending almost 1½ hours in the water, he was rescued by helicopter at around 11.50am and taken to the hospital by paramedics.
The bodies of the Powells had drifted to a nearby cove and they were recovered from the water at around 1pm.
Victoria Deputy State Coroner Caitlin English noted in her findings that no criminal charges have been pursued.
However, she said Mr Sanjay's actions had risked not just his own life.
"Despite warning signs, (Mr Sanjay), like many others who visit this country, entered the water," she said.
"While Australian-born beach users have the dangers and risks of swimming in unpatrolled beaches continually drilled into them from a young age, many tourists or new arrivals have no such knowledge or appreciation of how treacherous our waters can be.
"They subsequently not only risk their own lives when entering the water, but they risk the lives of their rescuers."
Australian news outlet The Standard reported that the coroner also adopted recommendations that Mr Younis, Mr Andrew Powell, Mr Ross Powell and another first responder receive bravery awards for their efforts.
"I acknowledge the impact of this tragedy on the Port Campbell community and responding emergency personnel," said the coroner.
"I commend each of the volunteers and responding emergency personnel for their heroic actions on this tragic day."
S'pore start-up Zilingo fires CEO Ankiti Bose, reserves right to pursue legal action
Ms Ankiti Bose said her employment was terminated on grounds of "insubordination", while Zilingo said the ouster followed a probe into complaints of serious financial irregularities. PHOTO: ZILINGO
Choo Yun Ting
Business Correspondent
May 20, 2022
SINGAPORE - E-commerce platform Zilingo has terminated its chief executive Ankiti Bose, also the co-founder of the firm, following an investigation into complaints of serious financial irregularities.
In a statement on Friday (May 20), the Singapore-based firm said it decided to terminate Ms Bose’s employment “with cause” and that it reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action.
The start-up, which counts Sequoia Capital India, Singapore state investor Temasek, and the Economic Development Board’s investment arm EDBI among its investors, had earlier suspended Ms Bose on March 31.
In its statement, Zilingo said that Ms Bose brought “certain harassment-related issues pertaining to past time periods” to the attention of the firm’s board on April 11.
These issues did not include any harassment complaints against investors or their nominees, it added, noting that a top consulting firm had been engaged to look into the claims brought forth.
“The investigation has concluded that the company took appropriate action and followed due process to address these complaints that were brought to their notice, contrary to media reports that have suggested that the suspension and investigation into Ankiti Bose were aimed at suppressing the said harassment claims,” Zilingo said.
Bloomberg News reported that Ms Bose said in a separate statement that her employment was terminated on grounds of insubordination, after being suspended on the basis of an “anonymous whistle-blower complaint”.
In its statement, Zilingo said: “The company is deeply pained and disappointed to see the manner in which the board, investors and employees have been constantly attacked through ostensibly leaked and fake information, along with what unfortunately appears to be paid and defamatory social media campaigns throughout the investigation period.”
This has cause irreparable damage to the start-up, board, staff and backers, it added.
The company noted that following the recall of loans by debt holders, an independent financial adviser was appointed and is in the midst of assessing options for the business.
More information will be provided in due course, it said.
Ms Bose had earlier been suspended from her duties while the start-up’s accounting practices were investigated. Regulatory checks show that Zilingo’s last financial statement was filed in 2019.
Ms Bose, who co-founded the company with Mr Dhruv Kapoor in 2015, has disputed claims of wrongdoing.
Commenting on corporate governance issues that start-ups face, NUS Business School’s Professor Mak Yuen Teen noted that such issues are not uncommon. Start-ups here and elsewhere have faced the likes of toxic culture, product fraud, financial irregularities and conflict of interest, he noted.
“Founders are by their nature entrepreneurial and risk takers, and may push the boundaries. They are also often charismatic and able to convince people to buy into their vision,” he said.
Prof Mak added that with problems emerging in start-ups, investors may be more careful about due diligence before investing and may demand better corporate governance, and start-ups that are not prepared for these may find it harder to attract investors.
Start-ups need to ensure that they have at least the basic corporate governance in place, he said.
This includes measures such as having accounts audited by a respectable audit firm on a timely basis, having proper internal controls for key business operations, having an internal audit of the key risk areas, and having a properly constituted board with some independent members.
Singapore Institute of Directors vice-chairman Adrian Chan said that while he does not believe confidence in the boards or founders of start-ups has necessarily been shaken by Zilingo’s situation, there are lessons to be learnt from this case and the issues that have surfaced.
Mr Chan, who also serves on the Enterprise Board of the SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, noted that start-up boards and founders should be trained and equipped with the necessary governance skills and knowledge to run their businesses effectively.
“Paying heed to corporate governance makes good business sense and should not be viewed as a burden. And if boards fail to recognise this early on, they may find themselves paying a higher price later on,” he said.
Can give your opinions on race as long as it is not offensive.
S'pore's approach in prohibiting offensive speech but not sharing of opinions on race, protects minorities: Shanmugam
The approach gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam.PHOTO: ST FILE
Hariz Baharudin
JUL 5, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore's approach, in strictly prohibiting offensive speech on race, but not the sharing of opinions on these matters, gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Monday (July 5).
He added that if racially offensive speech by all is tolerated or allowed, it can be expected that more of such speech will be directed towards minority communities, who will then bear the brunt of it.
Mr Shanmugam was replying to Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang GRC), who had asked if laws against racist hate speech here are consistent with recommendations by the United Nations that state how measures to combat racist speech should not be used as a pretext to curtail expressions of protest.
Singapore's laws against racist hate and offensive speech are consistent with these recommendations, said the minister.
He said that under the Penal Code, it is an offence to commit acts that deliberately wound the racial feelings of any person, promote enmity between different racial groups, or conduct acts that are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial harmony.
"These laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of race," said Mr Shanmugam. He shared two incidents when such laws were used.
In the first, in January 2019, a Chinese man was charged under the Penal Code for deliberately intending to wound the racial feelings of the Malay population. The man had scrawled racist messages about Malays on walls in void decks and sheltered walkways in Geylang and Aljunied.
In the second, in June 2020, a Malay man who used a Twitter account with a Chinese name "@sharonliew86" to make racist remarks against people of different races was similarly charged.
While noting that a significant amount of discussion, commentary and sharing of experiences on race takes place, Mr Shanmugam said that Singapore takes a strict approach to offensive speech and hate speech.
This approach applies equally to all, regardless of majority or minority, which he said gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, and to give their views.
Should racially offensive speech be tolerated or allowed, more of such speech will likely be directed towards minority communities, added Mr Shanmugam.
"That will ironically reduce the safe space for discussion of such issues, and increase minority community concerns for safety and security. These are not hypotheticals. This is what has happened in several other countries," he said.
"We need to be careful about changing what has worked reasonably well in Singapore (though it is not perfect), and replacing it with policies which have not worked so well, in other places."
In his reply, Mr Shanmugam also noted that the UN recommendations have similarly taken the view that the protection of people from racist hate speech is not incompatible and is not "simply one of opposition" against the freedom of expression.
The minister added that is not clear in Ms Raeesah's question if she is suggesting that whenever anyone claims to be protesting against "injustice, expressing social discontent, or speaking in opposition", they should be exempted from the Penal Code and be allowed to engage in hate or offensive speech.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has invited her to clarify this, said Mr Shanmugam.
Indians are better at IT no doubt.
From china too.
Both deserve one another.
I don't think so. Its just that their administrators saw this coming and they are ahead but others have caught up. Plus they are cheaper to hire.
Chinese are just as good, if not better, than Indians in IT. Sinkies sees only the Indian CECA talent only because the Chinese tech sector was booming and the Chinese IT professionals could make good money working in China. The Ministry of Manpower said this.
uture for Singapore start-up Zilingo remains unclear after firing of CEO Ankiti Bose
Ms Ankiti Bose was fired following an investigation into complaints of serious financial irregularities. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
Choo Yun Ting
Business Correspondent
MAY 28, 2022
SINGAPORE - In 2015, Ms Ankiti Bose and Mr Dhruv Kapoor launched Zilingo in Singapore, touting it as a site where small fashion merchants from cities like Bangkok could grow an online presence.
The idea was born after she visited Bangkok's Chatuchak market and felt there could be a huge demand if the merchants' goods were sold online.
In 2018, the start-up moved into other business-to-business segments.
Ms Bose, now 30, was the chief executive, and Mr Kapoor, now 31, who was her neighbour in Bangalore, its chief technology and product officer. She was based in Bangkok and later Singapore, and he in India.
The company had seemed on course to grow and transform fashion supply chains. It last raised US$226 million (S$311 million) at a valuation of US$970 million in 2019, in a round led by its key investor Sequoia Capital India.
Other investors that participated included Singapore's Temasek and Burda Principal Investments, which is based in Germany. That brought the total amount raised by the company to US$308 million.
Its Singapore office is in Bendemeer and the company has around 500 employees across eight countries.
Several members of Zilingo's board stepped down in March and April this year - Sequoia Capital India's managing director Shailendra Singh, Temasek's Xu Wei Yang, former Burda Principal Investments managing director for Asia Albert Shyy, and Mr Andre Soelistyo, CEO of GoTo.
On April 12, Bloomberg reported that Ms Bose had been suspended from her duties after efforts to raise funds led to questions about the firm's accounts.
The report said she was called to a meeting with three board members on March 31 and told about "serious" complaints about discrepancies in accounts and mismanagement.
In a May 27 article, Bloomberg reported that the allegations of financial irregularities included questions about Zilingo's accounting practices and payments to several service providers that were signed by Ms Bose without the knowledge of senior executives.
Regulatory filings show the start-up last filed financial statements for 2019.
On May 20, Zilingo said it had fired Ms Bose "following an investigation led by an independent forensics firm that was commissioned to look into complaints of serious financial irregularities". It added that it "reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action".
It is not clear what Zilingo's next steps are. The company did not respond to queries about a new CEO and information on its investigations.
In its May 20 statement, Zilingo said that following the recall of loans by debt holders, an independent financial adviser was appointed to assess options for the business and more information will be provided in due course.
In 2020, amid Covid-19, Zilingo laid off staff as it downsized operations in markets like Singapore and Indonesia. The leadership team also took a pay cut.
Commenting on corporate governance issues faced by start-ups, Professor Aris Stouraitis from Hong Kong Baptist University told The Straits Times that recent cases, such as that of health-tech start-up Theranos in the United States, have highlighted how the monitoring of management may be absent in start-ups.
Proper corporate governance and information disclosure are important, he said, and it is imperative for venture capital firms and other non-founding shareholders who have provided capital to play a diligent monitoring role. The role of auditors is also crucial, he added.
'This is my life, this is my reputation': Zilingo's ex-CEO Ankiti Bose speaks out after her firing
Choo Yun Ting
Business Correspondent
MAY 28, 2022
SINGAPORE - A week after she was fired from fashion e-commerce platform Zilingo, co-founder and former chief executive Ankiti Bose continues to refer to it as her "baby".
"Not a day in the last six and a half, almost seven, years has been a holiday. It's been, you know, all about this baby. Mine," she said.
"So it's been incredibly hard, and I don't know if I'm going to get all the answers."
In an interview with The Straits Times last Thursday (May 26), Ms Bose spoke of her sense of loss after being kicked out of the company she started, and how she wanted to find answers.
On March 31, the 30-year-old was suspended from her duties at Zilingo after shareholders and the company's board received complaints of alleged financial irregularities.
On May 20, Zilingo said she had been fired following an investigation into the complaints and that it "reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action".
The start-up was co-founded in 2015 by Ms Bose and Mr Dhruv Kapoor, the company's chief technology and product officer, and attracted investors such as Sequoia Capital India, Burda Principal Investments and Singapore state investor Temasek.
Over the years, the young, eloquent Ms Bose became the face of Zilingo, appearing at global conferences alongside established industry peers. She was featured in Fortune's 40 Under 40 in 2019 and, together with Mr Kapoor, made Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list in 2018.
In a 90-minute interview at her apartment in central Singapore, she appeared confident as she talked about her desire to defend her reputation and how she was determined to communicate with the company's stakeholders.
On her sacking, which she found out via an e-mail sent to her from the company, she said it came as a surprise.
"I was keen to have more conversations and provide more explanation... about what was going on," she said.
Ms Bose, an Indian national and a Singapore permanent resident, said she has yet to see the report from the investigations commissioned by Zilingo to look into claims of financial irregularities.
Her termination letter also cited "insubordination" as one of the reasons for her firing, she said.
"I have still not seen the report used to terminate me or had a chance to contest it," she said.
She added that she has been spending time trying to speak with shareholders and ex-colleagues to understand what is going on with the company.
Ms Bose said she has not been allowed to speak with shareholders, whom she said she was "very, very close to", over the past two months. Her recent communications with the company and its board have largely been through legal representatives.
"People keep asking me, why are you fighting so hard to find answers? But you know, I just turned 30, this is my life, this is my reputation. This is everything to me. It means more than anything else for me to speak to my shareholders and my stakeholders and my employees, to understand what has happened and explain my position."
She added: "I think it's important that we also think in a way that is constructive and reconciliatory between stakeholders so that we might do what's good for the company and its hundreds of employees. I don't know if that's possible, but I hope so."
An only child, Ms Bose grew up in Mumbai, where she attended RN Podar School, a private secondary school, and St Xavier's College, a private autonomous higher education institution, where she studied economics.
She started her career at consultancy firm McKinsey & Co in Mumbai before moving to Sequoia Capital's office in Bangalore. She left the venture capital company to start Zilingo with Mr Kapoor.
She has been living in Singapore for the past four years and her parents are currently living with her in her rented apartment, a spacious unit with furnishings in neutral tones of white, grey and brown. She declined to have her home photographed.
In an Instagram post last Friday, Ms Bose said she had to deal with hate messages and threats of violence, and that her personal photos and other documents may have been improperly accessed and circulated on the Internet.
She told ST she barely left her apartment during the period she was suspended other than to take occasional walks. She spoke to her lawyers mostly through video-conferencing or e-mail.
"I've barely slept in the last two months," she added.
Asked about the alleged financial irregularities surrounding Zilingo, she said the pandemic was a tough period for the start-up and it had to take the difficult decision to restructure some of its teams.
She had been aware there were delays in its financial reporting. Regulatory checks show the start-up last filed financial statements for 2019.
Zilingo had a finance team of over 20 people as well as a Big Four firm auditor and Big Four adviser, she said.
"While I was still CEO, we were waiting for the proper advice from them on how to take things forward," she said. "I couldn't touch the accounts since I'm not a qualified chartered accountant."
Zilingo co-founder and former chief executive Ankiti Bose spoke of her sense of loss after being kicked out of the company she started, and how she wanted to find answers. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
She said it is common for many start-ups to be late in filing their accounts and it was a particular struggle in 2020 and 2021 given the pandemic, but "it's not an excuse".
She said she is in the dark about where the company is headed, but she meanwhile retains an 8 per cent stake in the firm, the same as Mr Kapoor.
Asked what her next steps are, she said: "I think I would love to still see what is the best thing that can be done for the company in this current situation."
Hundreds of people have spent countless sleepless nights to build the company, she said.
"I want to be positive, but I think it's important for me to find out what happened and try to help... to steer the ship forward," she said.
Playing the victim card and letting the whole world know.
Former police officer Reema Razif (above) said in a Facebook post that she was told her performance review was affected by her pregnancy. PHOTO: REEMA RAZIF/FACEBOOK
Osmond Chia
June 9, 2022
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday (June 8) that it does not penalise officers who are pregnant, and takes a firm stance against workplace discrimination practices within its ranks.
It was responding to allegations by former police officer Reema Razif, 32, who in a Facebook post that was widely circulated said she was told her performance review was affected by her pregnancy, and was advised to take up projects when on maternity leave.
"The SPF does not penalise officers who are pregnant and instead, provides alternative work arrangements to ensure their well-being," said the police in a statement.
"During Reema's four pregnancies between 2016 and 2021, she was given light duty assignments that were primarily desk-bound. Reema was not asked to work while she was on paid maternity leave," the statement added.
"The SPF takes a firm stance against workplace discrimination practices. There are avenues for SPF officers to raise complaints on discriminatory workplace practices to their unit Commander, Police Headquarters (HQ) or the Ministry HQ, and such complaints are looked into seriously," it said.
Ms Reema, who joined the SPF as a corporal in 2011 and has four children, resigned from her job as a sergeant on May 2.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (June 7), she wrote that the job was her life for 11 years, and she gave 100 per cent to it, adding that she had no regrets "because I loved every bit of it".
She also wrote that unfortunately, this was never enough, adding: "Being told that my performance grade dropped 'cos you were pregnant what' and being advised to 'take up some projects during your maternity leave' was not something I could resonate with."
Ms Reema, 32, told The Straits Times she was promoted once in her career, to sergeant, in 2015. She began to question why many juniors were promoted so quickly.
Around 2019, her annual performance grading had dropped from a B to a C, which she felt did not reflect the work she had put in.
She told ST on Wednesday (June 8): "When I asked my supervisor why, she said: 'It's because you were pregnant.'"
Said Ms Reema: "I was pregnant and working on the frontlines during Covid-19, but that went unnoticed."
Ms Reema - who has a boy aged four, and three girls, aged between one and five - also acknowledged that each time she was pregnant, she would be taken off patrol duties and assigned office roles, such as manning the armoury counter.
In its statement, the police said: "Reema received a performance grade similar to many of her colleagues in the Police Land Division, while she was in service."
The police statement also noted that Ms Reema had written about her police work on social media in April 2020. As public sector rules disallow officers from commenting on issues related to their agency without authorisation, she was advised by her supervisor for not seeking clearance, but was not penalised for the incident.
"Reema resigned from the SPF on May 2 for personal reasons," the police said.
"The SPF builds fair and progressive workplaces for our employees. Many of our female officers excel in their career, balancing work and family responsibilities," it added.
"We thank Reema for her contributions to the SPF and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours."
Ms Reema, who is now a stay-home mother looking after her children, told ST: "I've no clue what I'll do yet but working is a need, not a want. We have to finance their school, pay our helper and I cannot leave this burden all to my husband."
Her husband is a civil servant who also works shifts.
She said she wished to see more recognition for pregnant employees, adding: "After I posted my story, many women with similar experiences reached out to me. I hope to create awareness and benefit women in the workplace."
She said she does not believe the treatment of pregnant employees is a widespread problem in the police, but added that she spoke from her own experience.
"I have no regrets working in the police force. It was my passion and I loved to help people," she said. "And I never felt that I shouldn't serve just because I was pregnant."
Pregnant officers are not penalised, complaints of discrimination looked into seriously: Police
Former police officer Reema Razif (above) said in a Facebook post that she was told her performance review was affected by her pregnancy. PHOTO: REEMA RAZIF/FACEBOOK
Osmond Chia
June 9, 2022
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday (June 8) that it does not penalise officers who are pregnant, and takes a firm stance against workplace discrimination practices within its ranks.
It was responding to allegations by former police officer Reema Razif, 32, who in a Facebook post that was widely circulated said she was told her performance review was affected by her pregnancy, and was advised to take up projects when on maternity leave.
"The SPF does not penalise officers who are pregnant and instead, provides alternative work arrangements to ensure their well-being," said the police in a statement.
"During Reema's four pregnancies between 2016 and 2021, she was given light duty assignments that were primarily desk-bound. Reema was not asked to work while she was on paid maternity leave," the statement added.
"The SPF takes a firm stance against workplace discrimination practices. There are avenues for SPF officers to raise complaints on discriminatory workplace practices to their unit Commander, Police Headquarters (HQ) or the Ministry HQ, and such complaints are looked into seriously," it said.
Ms Reema, who joined the SPF as a corporal in 2011 and has four children, resigned from her job as a sergeant on May 2.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (June 7), she wrote that the job was her life for 11 years, and she gave 100 per cent to it, adding that she had no regrets "because I loved every bit of it".
She also wrote that unfortunately, this was never enough, adding: "Being told that my performance grade dropped 'cos you were pregnant what' and being advised to 'take up some projects during your maternity leave' was not something I could resonate with."
Ms Reema, 32, told The Straits Times she was promoted once in her career, to sergeant, in 2015. She began to question why many juniors were promoted so quickly.
Around 2019, her annual performance grading had dropped from a B to a C, which she felt did not reflect the work she had put in.
She told ST on Wednesday (June 8): "When I asked my supervisor why, she said: 'It's because you were pregnant.'"
Said Ms Reema: "I was pregnant and working on the frontlines during Covid-19, but that went unnoticed."
Ms Reema - who has a boy aged four, and three girls, aged between one and five - also acknowledged that each time she was pregnant, she would be taken off patrol duties and assigned office roles, such as manning the armoury counter.
In its statement, the police said: "Reema received a performance grade similar to many of her colleagues in the Police Land Division, while she was in service."
The police statement also noted that Ms Reema had written about her police work on social media in April 2020. As public sector rules disallow officers from commenting on issues related to their agency without authorisation, she was advised by her supervisor for not seeking clearance, but was not penalised for the incident.
"Reema resigned from the SPF on May 2 for personal reasons," the police said.
"The SPF builds fair and progressive workplaces for our employees. Many of our female officers excel in their career, balancing work and family responsibilities," it added.
"We thank Reema for her contributions to the SPF and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours."
Ms Reema, who is now a stay-home mother looking after her children, told ST: "I've no clue what I'll do yet but working is a need, not a want. We have to finance their school, pay our helper and I cannot leave this burden all to my husband."
Her husband is a civil servant who also works shifts.
She said she wished to see more recognition for pregnant employees, adding: "After I posted my story, many women with similar experiences reached out to me. I hope to create awareness and benefit women in the workplace."
She said she does not believe the treatment of pregnant employees is a widespread problem in the police, but added that she spoke from her own experience.
"I have no regrets working in the police force. It was my passion and I loved to help people," she said. "And I never felt that I shouldn't serve just because I was pregnant."
Migrant worker advocate whose work pass was not renewed made misleading public posts: MOM
Mr Zakir Hossain Khokan returned to Bangladesh on June 8 after working in Singapore for nearly two decades. PHOTO: ZAKIR HOSSAIN KHOKAN
Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent
JUN 22, 2022
SINGAPORE - A migrant worker who was active in local literary circles and founded two community groups here has left Singapore after his work permit expired and was not renewed.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday (June 22), Mr Zakir Hossain Khokan, 43, said he was told by his former employer that the work permit renewal system had initially reflected an "adverse record with a government agency".
He was later told that this was an administrative error and that his work permit was "ineligible" for renewal, he said.
Responding to media queries, the Manpower Ministry (MOM) said it takes into account various factors when assessing an applicant's suitability to work in Singapore and for work passes to be renewed.
The ministry said that by Mr Zakir's own account, Singapore has allowed him to work here for 19 years.
"Through his time in Singapore, he has written often about migrant workers here. We renewed his work pass many times despite his activism and writings," said MOM.
"We draw the line, however, when public posts are misleading, false or deliberately provocative."
It cited a Facebook post that Mr Zakir made last October after a confrontation at Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory that drew riot police to the scene.
Police had responded to a call for assistance at the dormitory after a confrontation between workers and management over poor quality food and long delays in transporting workers with Covid-19 to recovery and healthcare facilities.
While Special Operations Command officers were on standby, the Ministry of Home Affairs said then that additional police units were not deployed and no arrests were made by the police during the incident.
MOM said Mr Zakir had called migrant workers in Singapore "work slaves", and dormitories here "work camps", and also alleged that soldiers and armoured vehicles had surrounded the dormitory.
"This was a false characterisation," MOM said. "There were no soldiers, let alone armoured vehicles, around."
Mr Zakir had also signed off his post as from the "workers of Westlite Tukang", though he never lived there, noted MOM. The ministry added that Mr Zakir's statements could have incited migrant workers at the dormitory and elsewhere, inflamed their emotions and possibly caused incidents of public disorder.
The ministry said that while Mr Zakir had appealed the non-renewal of his work pass, his employer did not. The appeal was considered and MOM informed him that it was unsuccessful.
It added: "The ability of a foreigner to work in Singapore is not an entitlement. Mr Zakir has been permitted to work in Singapore for a long time, though he was a long-time activist.
"His work pass has since expired. He cannot prolong his stay when he no longer has a job in Singapore. He has overstayed his welcome."
A former freelance journalist and poet, Mr Zakir returned to his home in Bangladesh on June 8 after working in Singapore's construction sector for nearly two decades.
During his time here, he founded literary interest group Migrant Writers of Singapore and started "One Bag, One Book", a book-sharing project for foreign workers here that later helped to distribute supplies to migrant workers living in dormitories when Covid-19 struck.
Mr Zakir took the first prize in 2014 and 2015 in the Migrant Worker Poetry Competition organised by Banglar Kantha, a newspaper here for the Bangladeshi community.
He said in his Facebook post that he received notice from his employer's human resources department on May 24 that his work permit could not be renewed.
Mr Zakir, who declined to name the employer, said: "It was so sudden and unexpected."
Appeals made on his behalf by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals, including MP Louis Ng and former NMP Anthea Ong, were not successful. This is according to a letter seen by The Straits Times that was sent to Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.
Ms Ong, who met Mr Zakir five years ago at a community event by her social enterprise Hush TeaBar, told ST that he had approached her for help.
She asked him to appeal directly to MOM and agreed to write to Dr Tan to outline Mr Zakir's contributions to the migrant worker community.
Ms Ong said that MOM has been doing good work in engaging NGOs and migrant workers since it set up a new division called the Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group in 2020 to care for migrant workers here.
"I hope this matter will not affect ACE's efforts or discourage our migrant brothers and sisters from coming forward to volunteer or create initiatives to support fellow migrant workers," said Ms Ong.
Lie and cheat only'This is my life, this is my reputation': Zilingo's ex-CEO Ankiti Bose speaks out after her firing
Choo Yun Ting
Business Correspondent
MAY 28, 2022
SINGAPORE - A week after she was fired from fashion e-commerce platform Zilingo, co-founder and former chief executive Ankiti Bose continues to refer to it as her "baby".
"Not a day in the last six and a half, almost seven, years has been a holiday. It's been, you know, all about this baby. Mine," she said.
"So it's been incredibly hard, and I don't know if I'm going to get all the answers."
In an interview with The Straits Times last Thursday (May 26), Ms Bose spoke of her sense of loss after being kicked out of the company she started, and how she wanted to find answers.
On March 31, the 30-year-old was suspended from her duties at Zilingo after shareholders and the company's board received complaints of alleged financial irregularities.
On May 20, Zilingo said she had been fired following an investigation into the complaints and that it "reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action".
The start-up was co-founded in 2015 by Ms Bose and Mr Dhruv Kapoor, the company's chief technology and product officer, and attracted investors such as Sequoia Capital India, Burda Principal Investments and Singapore state investor Temasek.
Over the years, the young, eloquent Ms Bose became the face of Zilingo, appearing at global conferences alongside established industry peers. She was featured in Fortune's 40 Under 40 in 2019 and, together with Mr Kapoor, made Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list in 2018.
In a 90-minute interview at her apartment in central Singapore, she appeared confident as she talked about her desire to defend her reputation and how she was determined to communicate with the company's stakeholders.
On her sacking, which she found out via an e-mail sent to her from the company, she said it came as a surprise.
"I was keen to have more conversations and provide more explanation... about what was going on," she said.
Ms Bose, an Indian national and a Singapore permanent resident, said she has yet to see the report from the investigations commissioned by Zilingo to look into claims of financial irregularities.
Her termination letter also cited "insubordination" as one of the reasons for her firing, she said.
"I have still not seen the report used to terminate me or had a chance to contest it," she said.
She added that she has been spending time trying to speak with shareholders and ex-colleagues to understand what is going on with the company.
Ms Bose said she has not been allowed to speak with shareholders, whom she said she was "very, very close to", over the past two months. Her recent communications with the company and its board have largely been through legal representatives.
"People keep asking me, why are you fighting so hard to find answers? But you know, I just turned 30, this is my life, this is my reputation. This is everything to me. It means more than anything else for me to speak to my shareholders and my stakeholders and my employees, to understand what has happened and explain my position."
She added: "I think it's important that we also think in a way that is constructive and reconciliatory between stakeholders so that we might do what's good for the company and its hundreds of employees. I don't know if that's possible, but I hope so."
An only child, Ms Bose grew up in Mumbai, where she attended RN Podar School, a private secondary school, and St Xavier's College, a private autonomous higher education institution, where she studied economics.
She started her career at consultancy firm McKinsey & Co in Mumbai before moving to Sequoia Capital's office in Bangalore. She left the venture capital company to start Zilingo with Mr Kapoor.
She has been living in Singapore for the past four years and her parents are currently living with her in her rented apartment, a spacious unit with furnishings in neutral tones of white, grey and brown. She declined to have her home photographed.
In an Instagram post last Friday, Ms Bose said she had to deal with hate messages and threats of violence, and that her personal photos and other documents may have been improperly accessed and circulated on the Internet.
She told ST she barely left her apartment during the period she was suspended other than to take occasional walks. She spoke to her lawyers mostly through video-conferencing or e-mail.
"I've barely slept in the last two months," she added.
Asked about the alleged financial irregularities surrounding Zilingo, she said the pandemic was a tough period for the start-up and it had to take the difficult decision to restructure some of its teams.
She had been aware there were delays in its financial reporting. Regulatory checks show the start-up last filed financial statements for 2019.
Zilingo had a finance team of over 20 people as well as a Big Four firm auditor and Big Four adviser, she said.
"While I was still CEO, we were waiting for the proper advice from them on how to take things forward," she said. "I couldn't touch the accounts since I'm not a qualified chartered accountant."
Zilingo co-founder and former chief executive Ankiti Bose spoke of her sense of loss after being kicked out of the company she started, and how she wanted to find answers. ST PHOTO: FELINE LIM
She said it is common for many start-ups to be late in filing their accounts and it was a particular struggle in 2020 and 2021 given the pandemic, but "it's not an excuse".
She said she is in the dark about where the company is headed, but she meanwhile retains an 8 per cent stake in the firm, the same as Mr Kapoor.
Asked what her next steps are, she said: "I think I would love to still see what is the best thing that can be done for the company in this current situation."
Hundreds of people have spent countless sleepless nights to build the company, she said.
"I want to be positive, but I think it's important for me to find out what happened and try to help... to steer the ship forward," she said.
which is the tittilating part?
hongkies got cat3 japs got jav gooks got kav
what is this now?
ceca -> cecaav? or pundekav? or kelingkiaav?
Travellers start to shun India's SpiceJet after safety lapses
Losing passengers over incidents involving technical glitches would be a major setback for SpiceJet. PHOTO: REUTERS
July 8, 2022
NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) - Passengers are starting to avoid SpiceJet after a series of mid-air safety failures, according to a survey, dealing a blow to the cash-strapped airline, which has been been summoned by the authorities to explain the lapses.
A survey of more than 21,000 travellers conducted by LocalCircles showed that 44 per cent are currently steering clear of India's third-biggest airline due to safety concerns versus 21 per cent who are avoiding Air India and IndiGo, and 18 per cent for Go First. Some 37 per cent of respondents said they do not avoid any particular airline.
Losing passengers over incidents involving technical glitches would be a major setback for SpiceJet, which has relinquished its second-highest market share to Go First. Any fallout could further upset SpiceJet's deteriorating financial health. The airline has suffered losses for the last three fiscal years and its shares have plunged 43 per cent this year, making it the worst airline stock in Asia.
SpiceJet said in a statement that its flights are "absolutely safe, and the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is paramount to us".
A SpiceJet flight operating a Boeing 737 Max plane was diverted to Karachi due to an indicator light malfunction on Tuesday (July 5). Later that day, a Q400 jet was forced to make a priority landing in Mumbai after its windshield cracked.
Another SpiceJet aircraft from New Delhi on July 2 returned to the Indian capital due to smoke in the cabin.
India's aviation regulator had declared its fleet safe after an audit last month and that such incidents do not compromise the safety and airworthiness of the airline, according to the statement.
But in a rare occurrence, the aviation regulator on Wednesday said SpiceJet failed to build "safe, efficient and reliable" services in the wake of recent issues. It has given the airline three weeks to explain why action should not be taken against it.
The incidents, though non-fatal, have led to strong criticism against SpiceJet, with some people urging the authorities to investigate the airline's safety practices. Others are blaming the 737 Max aircraft and calling on airlines to stop operating the jets. Waning confidence in the 737 Max could be more bad news for SpiceJet because it is looking to induct at least seven of them this year, people with knowledge of the matter said last month.
According to the LocalCircles survey, 46 per cent of people believe the worsening balance sheets of Indian airlines in turn lead to inadequate maintenance of fleets, and that is the top reason behind degrading safety standards. About 18 per cent of passengers said ineffective oversight by the regulator is also a cause.
Retrenched GSK employee sues over not being considered for other roles in company
Mr Kallivalap Praveen Nair is now suing the pharmaceutical company for about $1.35 million. PHOTO: GSK
Samuel Devaraj
Jul 27, 2022
SINGAPORE - He was required to relocate to Singapore, after he became a global expert director for nutrition and digestive health business at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) consumer healthcare.
About two years later, Mr Kallivalap Praveen Nair was retrenched on grounds of redundancy.
He is now suing the pharmaceutical company for about $1.35 million, arguing he was not considered for various roles within the company.
In a trial beginning on Wednesday (July 27), Mr Nair said this was a result of GSK breaching its employment agreement and that had he been given the opportunity to be considered for the roles, he would likely have secured one and would not have been made redundant, according to court documents.
The sum he is seeking from GSK includes about $1.15 million for loss in income as he has been unemployed since June 30, 2020, and about $150,000 which he said was a shortfall in the amount in his severance package.
GSK has counterclaimed against Mr Nair, seeking about $95,200 from his severance package which it said was paid to him by mistake.
Mr Praveen Nair, who moved from India to Singapore in June 2018, is represented by Mr Vikram Nair from Rajah & Tann.
In court documents, Mr Vikram Nair said GSK deprived his client the opportunity to be considered for roles with consumer goods company Unilever to which GSK sold its nutrition business to in April 2020.
He added his client was left off a list of personnel eligible for assessment for Unilever roles published by GSK in early May 2019.
When Mr Praveen Nair asked his manager why this was so, the manager suggested that this may have been motivated by GSK's perception that he would be a threat to the GSK consumer business if he had taken up the equivalent of a global expert role in Unilever.
This is denied by GSK, which is being represented by Wong & Leow. In its defence, GSK said that Mr Praveen Nair was invited to several interviews with Unilever but was ultimately not selected by the firm.
On June 11, 2019, GSK said in an e-mail that a new global head of expert marketing role had been created and that Ms Tess Player, an employee, had been appointed to that role.
Mr Praveen Nair said there was no indication prior to the announcement that the new role had been created and he was not given the opportunity to apply for it.
He argued that by failing to disclose the creation of the new role, GSK is in breach of its employment agreement.
Mr Vikram Nair said that in retaliation for his client's probing into Ms Player's appointment in the new role, he was not fairly considered for other roles.
He added that it also led to his client getting a shorter notice period compared with other retrenched GSK personnel from the nutrition and digestive health business.
GSK said in its defence that Mr Praveen Nair was denied the roles because he was found unsuitable and that he was given the notice period as contractually provided for in the employment contract.
The trial continues on Thursday.
As a mCan give your opinions on race as long as it is not offensive.
S'pore's approach in prohibiting offensive speech but not sharing of opinions on race, protects minorities: Shanmugam
The approach gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam.PHOTO: ST FILE
Hariz Baharudin
JUL 5, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore's approach, in strictly prohibiting offensive speech on race, but not the sharing of opinions on these matters, gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Monday (July 5).
He added that if racially offensive speech by all is tolerated or allowed, it can be expected that more of such speech will be directed towards minority communities, who will then bear the brunt of it.
Mr Shanmugam was replying to Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang GRC), who had asked if laws against racist hate speech here are consistent with recommendations by the United Nations that state how measures to combat racist speech should not be used as a pretext to curtail expressions of protest.
Singapore's laws against racist hate and offensive speech are consistent with these recommendations, said the minister.
He said that under the Penal Code, it is an offence to commit acts that deliberately wound the racial feelings of any person, promote enmity between different racial groups, or conduct acts that are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial harmony.
"These laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of race," said Mr Shanmugam. He shared two incidents when such laws were used.
In the first, in January 2019, a Chinese man was charged under the Penal Code for deliberately intending to wound the racial feelings of the Malay population. The man had scrawled racist messages about Malays on walls in void decks and sheltered walkways in Geylang and Aljunied.
In the second, in June 2020, a Malay man who used a Twitter account with a Chinese name "@sharonliew86" to make racist remarks against people of different races was similarly charged.
While noting that a significant amount of discussion, commentary and sharing of experiences on race takes place, Mr Shanmugam said that Singapore takes a strict approach to offensive speech and hate speech.
This approach applies equally to all, regardless of majority or minority, which he said gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, and to give their views.
Should racially offensive speech be tolerated or allowed, more of such speech will likely be directed towards minority communities, added Mr Shanmugam.
"That will ironically reduce the safe space for discussion of such issues, and increase minority community concerns for safety and security. These are not hypotheticals. This is what has happened in several other countries," he said.
"We need to be careful about changing what has worked reasonably well in Singapore (though it is not perfect), and replacing it with policies which have not worked so well, in other places."
In his reply, Mr Shanmugam also noted that the UN recommendations have similarly taken the view that the protection of people from racist hate speech is not incompatible and is not "simply one of opposition" against the freedom of expression.
The minister added that is not clear in Ms Raeesah's question if she is suggesting that whenever anyone claims to be protesting against "injustice, expressing social discontent, or speaking in opposition", they should be exempted from the Penal Code and be allowed to engage in hate or offensive speech.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has invited her to clarify this, said Mr Shanmugam.
As a minority, I welcome critism and honest pointing out the flaws in my community, as we can correct perceptions and improve, instead of hiding and sweeping it under the carpetCan give your opinions on race as long as it is not offensive.
S'pore's approach in prohibiting offensive speech but not sharing of opinions on race, protects minorities: Shanmugam
The approach gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam.PHOTO: ST FILE
Hariz Baharudin
JUL 5, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore's approach, in strictly prohibiting offensive speech on race, but not the sharing of opinions on these matters, gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Monday (July 5).
He added that if racially offensive speech by all is tolerated or allowed, it can be expected that more of such speech will be directed towards minority communities, who will then bear the brunt of it.
Mr Shanmugam was replying to Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang GRC), who had asked if laws against racist hate speech here are consistent with recommendations by the United Nations that state how measures to combat racist speech should not be used as a pretext to curtail expressions of protest.
Singapore's laws against racist hate and offensive speech are consistent with these recommendations, said the minister.
He said that under the Penal Code, it is an offence to commit acts that deliberately wound the racial feelings of any person, promote enmity between different racial groups, or conduct acts that are prejudicial to the maintenance of racial harmony.
"These laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of race," said Mr Shanmugam. He shared two incidents when such laws were used.
In the first, in January 2019, a Chinese man was charged under the Penal Code for deliberately intending to wound the racial feelings of the Malay population. The man had scrawled racist messages about Malays on walls in void decks and sheltered walkways in Geylang and Aljunied.
In the second, in June 2020, a Malay man who used a Twitter account with a Chinese name "@sharonliew86" to make racist remarks against people of different races was similarly charged.
While noting that a significant amount of discussion, commentary and sharing of experiences on race takes place, Mr Shanmugam said that Singapore takes a strict approach to offensive speech and hate speech.
This approach applies equally to all, regardless of majority or minority, which he said gives greater protection for minorities by making it safe for them to speak about their experiences, and to give their views.
Should racially offensive speech be tolerated or allowed, more of such speech will likely be directed towards minority communities, added Mr Shanmugam.
"That will ironically reduce the safe space for discussion of such issues, and increase minority community concerns for safety and security. These are not hypotheticals. This is what has happened in several other countries," he said.
"We need to be careful about changing what has worked reasonably well in Singapore (though it is not perfect), and replacing it with policies which have not worked so well, in other places."
In his reply, Mr Shanmugam also noted that the UN recommendations have similarly taken the view that the protection of people from racist hate speech is not incompatible and is not "simply one of opposition" against the freedom of expression.
The minister added that is not clear in Ms Raeesah's question if she is suggesting that whenever anyone claims to be protesting against "injustice, expressing social discontent, or speaking in opposition", they should be exempted from the Penal Code and be allowed to engage in hate or offensive speech.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has invited her to clarify this, said Mr Shanmugam.
Similar threads
