In the realm of work-related grievances, we’ve all been there. At some point, the frustrations can become too much, pushing us to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

However, for one former employee at a Singaporean company, they took a bold step by venting all their grievances in a brutally honest resignation letter, sparing no punches.

The Candid Resignation Letter

The complaints listed in this resignation letter were as straightforward as they come: early wake-up calls, a tight-fisted boss, and a distinct absence of bonuses.

What set this letter apart was the fact that it was predominantly written in Singlish, a colloquial form of Singaporean English.

This letter surfaced in a Xiaohongshu post shared by an anonymous user known as “Little Duck.” It was described as a no-nonsense resignation letter that cut straight to the point, leaving no room for ambiguity.

It’s important to note that the user shared the letter as found online and did not claim ownership. While sensitive information like the employee’s name and the company’s name were redacted, key details such as the date of resignation and the notice period were still discernible.

A Tale of Two Halves

The writer began by expressing their displeasure with the need to wake up at the ungodly hour of 5 am daily just to commute to their boss’s workplace. With no punctuation in sight, they swiftly transitioned to their next grievance: their salary had stagnated.

In bold and capital letters, they emphasized the most critical issue: the absence of bonuses. The final blow was delivered in Singlish slang: “So NIAO how to continue to serve your company in a better way.”

“Niao” is Singlish for “stingy”.

The disgruntled employee wrote in their resignation letter (SIC):

“I, (name redacted), would like to resign from (company name redacted) Pte Ltd with effect from 15th September 2023.

My last day of service will be 14th October 2023.

Thank you.

Reason of why I leave this company:

Every morning need to wake up early 5am just to travel to your company, salary also never increase for me.

MOST IMPORTANTLY IS NO BONUS TAKE. So NIAO how to continue to serve your company in a better way.”

The dispute between a durian vendor and his employee over the selection of a durian escalated into violence, resulting in the employee, Wang Lianzheng, suffering injuries. The incident occurred at a durian stall located below Block 18 Bedok South Road, according to Lianhe Zaobao.

The conflict began when Wang’s supervisor instructed him to select and cut open two Musang King durians for a customer.

However, upon opening the durians, they found that the pulp was in poor condition, which angered the supervisor.

He blamed Wang for choosing low-quality durians and demanded that Wang pay for them himself, a request Wang considered unreasonable.

As the argument escalated, Wang’s supervisor berated him with harsh words and threatened to fire him. In a fit of anger, Wang threw the cash box on the table, further aggravating the situation.

The supervisor then physically assaulted Wang, choking him, pushing him against a table, and inflicting bruises and cuts on his body. Wang did not fight back during the assault.

Wang reported that this was not the first time his supervisor had asked employees to pay for durians from their own pockets. In addition, Wang revealed that he had been asked to buy durians costing $20 to $30 in the past.

Wang’s colleagues in the store intervened to separate the two during the assault, as they feared the situation might escalate to a more dangerous level due to the presence of a nearby knife, according to 8World News.

After the incident, Wang visited a doctor and received six days of medical leave for his injuries. He reported the incident to his boss, general manager, and filed a police report on September 17. Wang’s supervisor left for Malaysia on September 18.

Despite an apology from his supervisor and the encouragement to forgive the actions, Wang refused to accept the apology, citing his supervisor’s history of hot-tempered behavior and outbursts of anger.

Wang verbally informed his boss that he would resign out of concern for his safety.

Later, Wang received a dismissal letter from the company without a stated reason. He is currently seeking another job and has expressed that he does not wish to work at a durian stall again.

The supervisor in question had not reported for work in the days following the incident, according to staff at the durian stall.

SIX MEN TO BE CHARGED WITH OUTRAGE OF MODESTY

The Police will be charging six men, aged between 22 and 58, in court on 22 September 2023 for their suspected involvement in separate cases of outrage of modesty.

The cases are as follows:

1. On 1 February 2023, a 49-year-old male masseur had allegedly molested a 29-year-old woman, at a massage establishment along Rochor Road. The man will be charged with three counts of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
   
2. On 11 April 2023, a 58-year-old man had allegedly molested a 48-year-old woman at a bar along Sam Leong Road. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871. He will also be charged with one count of unlawful stalking under Section 7(1) p/u Section 7(6) of the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, one count of criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code 1871, one count of voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323 of the Penal Code 1871, one count of mischief under Section 426 of the Penal Code 1871 and one count of mischief with common intention Section 426 r/w Section 34 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
3. On 25 June 2023, a 35-year-old man had allegedly molested a 32-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
   
4. On 5 August 2023, a 29-year-old man had allegedly molested a 30-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
   
5. On 02 September 2023, a 22-year-old man had allegedly molested a 30-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
   
6. Sometime between year 2012 and 2013, a then 20-year-old man had allegedly molested, a then 8-year-old girl, at her house along Simei Street. The man will be charged with two counts of outrage of modesty against any person under 14 years of age under Section 354(2) of the Penal Code Chapter 224

Potential penalties

The offence of outrage of modesty, punishable under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or a fine, or caning, or any combination of such punishments.

The offence of outrage of modesty against any person under 14 years of age, punishable under Section 354(2) Chapter 224, carries an imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or a fine, or caning, or with any combination of such punishments.

The offence of unlawful stalking, under Section 7 of the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5000/- or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

The offence of criminal intimidation, under Section 506 of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or fine, or with both.

The offence of voluntarily causing hurt, under Section 323 of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to $5000, or with both.

The offence of mischief, under Section 426 of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or fine, or both.

Zero tolerance

Outrage of modesty cases remain a key concern for the Police. The Police treat all reports seriously and will spare no effort to conduct our investigations thoroughly and expeditiously, which includes identifying and tracing the suspects through follow-up investigations and with the aid of Police cameras and CCTV footages if they are unknown to the victims.

The Police may also place the suspects under arrest for investigations and may prosecute them in court subsequently.

The Police have zero tolerance towards offenders who threaten the personal safety of those in the community, and offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.

The Police will continue to work closely with various stakeholders, such as public entertainment outlets, public transport operators, and the community, to prevent and deter outrage of modesty cases.

The Police would also like to urge members of the public to remain vigilant and to report the matter to the Police immediately, if they witness an incident of outrage of modesty, or are aware of someone being a victim of outrage of modesty.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
21 September 2023 @ 7:46 PM

In recent years, Singapore has been at the forefront of innovative changes in immigration procedures. The amended Immigration Act, a groundbreaking legislation introduced by Second Minister for Home Affairs, Josephine Teo, promises passport-free travel for its residents.

This move aims to modernize immigration processes and enhance border control efficiency. However, the question remains: will other countries follow suit?

The Bill for Immigration Act Amendments

Singapore’s journey towards passport-free travel commenced on August 2, 2023, when Second Minister Josephine Teo introduced the bill for amendments to the Immigration Act in Parliament.

The bill proposed a fundamental transformation of the country’s immigration framework, focusing on digitalization and automation. It sought to address emerging challenges, including pandemics, and to strengthen border controls against undesirable individuals.

A Landmark Decision: Passing of the Bill

The momentous occasion arrived on September 18, 2023, when the bill for amendments to the Immigration Act was successfully passed in Parliament.

This watershed moment marked the beginning of a new era for Singapore’s immigration system. The amended Immigration Act is poised to bring about significant changes that will impact both residents and foreign visitors.

Understanding the Amendments

The primary objective of the amended Immigration Act is to empower the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority to streamline immigration processes.

This includes the issuance of immigration passes and permits to foreigners and permanent residents (PRs). The amendments also pave the way for the introduction of passport-free travel for all travelers, including foreign visitors.

Passport-Free Travel: A Glimpse into the Future

One of the most significant implications of the amended Immigration Act is the elimination of the need for physical passports when departing Singapore. This change is set to take effect from 2024, ushering in a new era of convenience for travelers.

But what about the rest of the world? Will other countries follow suit, or will physical passports remain a global travel requirement?

The Global Perspective

While Singapore is taking a bold step towards passport-free travel, it’s important to acknowledge that the rest of the world may not immediately adopt similar measures.

Many countries still rely on physical passports as a fundamental component of their immigration and border control processes.

Therefore, for international travelers, the necessity of carrying a physical passport may persist when visiting countries beyond Singapore’s borders.

Snippet of Josephine Teo’s speech

Singapore will be one of the first few countries in the world to introduce automated, passport-free immigration clearance. Besides Dubai, which already offers passport-free clearance for certain enrolled travellers, we do not know exactly which other countries have similar plans. MHA and ICA will certainly seek to enable more convenient travel for our people, but it is likely that physical passports will still be required for many countries outside of Singapore. 

To prepare for this New Clearance Concept, or NCC, ICA has been training its officers since 2020. Mr Choo will be glad to know that as a result, around 4,000 ICA officers are able to take on higher value jobs in assessment and investigation, using newly acquired skills such as investigative interviewing and profiling.

Besides levelling up staff capabilities, the key to a successful implementation of the NCC is universal coverage of all travellers. This requires a willingness to phase out traditional methods of identifying and authenticating travellers. The alternative of running two systems in parallel is not only costly but also cumbersome. 

To assist seniors who may not be able to provide certain biometrics or who may not be digitally savvy, I assure Mr Gan, Mr Giam and Mr Yip that immigration officers will be on hand to help. The officers can also conduct manual clearance by exception. 

As immigration clearance becomes more digitalised, ICA is fully aware of its responsibility in ensuring the availability and resilience of its systems. It therefore works closely with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and GovTech to meet reliability and security requirements in upstream design. 

For example, the next generation Automated Border Clearance System (ABCS) will allow travellers to continue using automated clearance gates if there are any outages. This is possible because they will be equipped with failover capabilities such as UPS or uninterruptible power supply, and can still function if the supporting systems, such as the online biometrics database, is down.  

Nonetheless, some of the NCC capabilities are novel and highly customised to Singapore’s context. Despite our best efforts, disruptions may still happen. Our business continuity plans will then be promptly activated through a combination of measures such as recalling off-duty officers and prioritising traveller clearance according to departure times. This should help minimise service degradation. This is also the careful approach as we undertake the ongoing upgrade of the Multi-Modal Biometrics System (MMBS), which Mr Giam asked about.

In addition, ICA also monitors systems performance to ensure benchmarks are met. With large systems, external vendors may be involved. ICA and HTX can and will pursue liquidated damages from a vendor if the systems fail to meet the required standards. 

To Ms Poh’s query, only Singapore-registered companies can undertake IT projects related to ICA. All employees of vendors undergo a compulsory security screening exercise and must be cleared before they are allowed to work on the project. They are bound by a non-disclosure agreement and may be held criminally liable for any wrongful or unauthorised communication, possession or use of information under the relevant laws, such as the Public Sector (Governance) Act.

To uphold high standards of cybersecurity, HTX also carries out independent Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing exercises prior to commissioning and annually thereafter. This complements the regular audits by ICA to identify and address vulnerabilities. 

I hope Mr Vikram will be reassured to know that ICA will also deploy more advanced scanning technologies and sensors to automate security checks for vehicles. Additionally, AI will also be used to strengthen detection capabilities for cargo. 

Source: MHA

In a shocking turn of events, three men found themselves in the midst of a harrowing ordeal in Johor Bahru (JB) on the morning of 18 September.

What should have been a night of leisure and camaraderie took a dark and traumatic twist as they became victims of a brutal attack and robbery, according to STOMP.

The Night Out at a Thai Disco

The ill-fated night began when the three men decided to visit a popular Thai disco in Johor Bahru. Little did they know that their night of revelry would soon take a sinister turn.

The Encounter with a Stranger

As the clock neared 4:30 AM, the men left the club and began their journey back to their apartment. It was during this walk that a stranger approached them. This individual’s strange behavior immediately put the group on edge.

While they were walking back to their hotel, a “strange fella” approached them and started chatting with them, before telling them that he wanted to pleasure himself.

The group was confused by what the man was saying, and that was when two burly men started walking towaordos them.

The Horrifying Assault

Without any warning or communication, the situation escalated rapidly. The robbers initiated the attack by ruthlessly kicking one of the men in the stomach while attempting to snatch his clutch from his firm grip.

As the violence intensified, the assailants retrieved chairs and brutally assaulted the victims, targeting their heads and faces.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, one of the victims took quick action, leading his injured friends to the safety of a nearby hotel lobby with the intention of reaching their apartment.

However, the assailants were relentless in their pursuit, launching punches and kicks with the intent to harm.

The Robbery

During the chaos, the robbers remained fixated on the clutch, ultimately succeeding in stealing it. This clutch held invaluable possessions, including AirPods, a Singapore passport, and crucial medication.

The physical toll of the attack was evident, with one victim sharing a photograph displaying the bruises inflicted upon his face.

The Aftermath: PTSD and Seeking Justice

The trauma inflicted during those brief moments left lasting scars on the victims, both physical and emotional. One of the victims expressed the profound impact the incident had on his mental well-being.

He said that he still had PTSD from the incident and lodged a report about the incident to the nearest police station and that Signapore consulate-general in JB.