Asshole company wants their laptop back after retrenching me
I have just been retrenched. The company I was with hired me through an Employer-of-Record arrangement as they do not have a legal registered entity in Singapore.
A few weeks before I was retrenched, I received a signed letter from my employer confirming that I have passed my probation. However, as the letter did not come from the Employer-of-Record, I was given much less payment in-lieu of notice as the company argued that the letter of confirmation needs to come from the Employer-of-Record.
I disputed the arrangement, and called the company out for being disingenuous. I also told them that I will be holding on to the company laptop until they honor the letter of confirmation they gave me.
I have already received my last payment from the company (without the full payment in-lieu), and IT is reaching out to me now to return the laptop.
I have two questions.
1. What are the chances of making the company pay me the full sum in-lieu of notice if I bring the letter to MoM?
2. What are the repercussions if I choose to just ignore IT’s request and keep the laptop anyway?
Here are what netizens think:
It’s not gonna make them feel the pinch or anything. It’s a company. They loose one laptop they can replace many others. I’d just save myself the grief and return what dosen’t belong to me.
Very often, laptops are considered cheap company assets anyway which can be written off. Especially if you intend to remain in this industry, holding onto the laptop (even an expensive high end model) as “hostage” will hurt you in the long run as this company will always use it as a means to get you blacklisted as a “criminal and thief’
after so long not yet return. omg. why you can’t return when you are not the owner at all.
Well.. refer to the contract. If the contract got nothing on this, it is their property, have to return. If goes to court, assuming they want to bring you there, you not receiving the compensation you want wouldn’t be considered as it is a seperate matter altogether.
A 40-year-old Singaporean man, Abdul Rahman, was sentenced on 31 October to 3 years imprisonment, as well as an additional 71 days of jail time for breaching his remission order, after refusing to pay a prostitute after obtaining her services, according to Channel NewsAsia.
Rahman pleaded guilty to a charge of dishonestly obtaining obscene services from the woman, without the intention of paying her.
What happened?
The victim, a 35-year-old Australian woman who was in Singapore for a holiday, posted an advertisement for her obscene services, charging $700 per hour, and $750 per hour for “outcalls”.
She came to Singapore on 14 November 2022 and wrote on her website that she was “touring” Singapore.
Rahman then reached out to her on WhatsApp on 23 November 2022, at about 10 am, seeking to engage her services for himself.
The woman then agreed and she informed him of her hourly rates, but Rahman ignored her messages about the fees and discussed their meet-up instead, where they agreed for him to come over to where she was residing.
They then engaged in intercourse before the woman asked him for the payment of $700, but Rahman refused to pay her and told her that they hadn’t come to an agreement on her rates.
He then handed her a $2 note instead.
The woman then demanded the full amount but Rahman ignored her and left, and the woman then reached out to the Australian High Commission and Project X (a non-profit organisation for prostitutes) for help, as well as lodging a police report against him.
Rahman then erased evidence by deleting the messages from the victim where she told him about her rates, to make it look like they never agreed about her fees.
However, the full incriminating conversation was still available and visible on the victim’s phone.
The Repeat Offender
In court, the prosecutor highlighted how Rahman was a repeat offender who was previously convicted of a similar offence, and sought a jail term of 38 to 40 months for him.
He had, in a previous similar incident, also refused to make payment to another prostitute after obtaining their services.
Me and my wife has been in an unhappy marriage due to previous arguments where i have shouted at her and being aggressive in talking towards her. I have tried really very hard to try to please her but till now nothing works. And recently she also told me that we will not be like last time any more. And don’t even allow me to intimate with her. I don’t really know what to do. Anybody out there can advise? I’m not sure how or what should I do. It’s been a few months since my wife and I have been in an unhappy marriage. Our relationship has been strained and I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do to fix it.
We’ve had our share of arguments, and I’ve been the one to lose my temper and shout. I can’t deny that I’ve been aggressive in talking to her, and it’s not something I’m proud of. I’ve tried to make up for it in different ways but nothing has seemed to work.
Recently, she told me that things won’t be the same between us anymore and that she doesn’t want me to be intimate with her. I feel so lost and I don’t know what to do.
I want to make things better between us but I’m not sure how to even start. I don’t want to make things worse by saying or doing the wrong thing. I’m stuck in a rut and I don’t know how to get out of it.
I’ve tried to talk to her about it, but she just brushes it off and won’t really talk about it. I’ve also tried apologizing for the things I’ve done wrong, but that hasn’t seemed to help either.
I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do to make things better, but I’m not sure what that should be. I want to be able to make things right between us, but I don’t know how.
If there’s anyone out there who can offer advice or tips on how to fix a marriage in this situation, I’d really appreciate it. I’m not sure how to proceed and I need some help. I’m desperate to make things better, but I’m not sure what I should do.
Following the now-infamous stabbing case that resulted in the death of 25-year-old Malaysian Xie Zhiyu outside a nightclub at Johor Bahru and saw two Singaporean suspects being arrested, along with a Malaysian woman; new information have since emerged regarding the background of the case.
According to several reports, the murder allegedly centres around the Malaysian woman, Yang Yiwen.
Broke up with Fu & slept with Xie
Yang was purportedly in a relationship with the murder suspect, 26-year-old Fu Yiming, and they allegedly got into an argument and broke up.
She then declared that she was single and went to the nightclub to seek solace and have fun.
The deceased, Xie, met the girl and they soon slept together, after she allegedly told him that she was single and was not seeing anyone.
Patched back with Fu
Weeks later, Yang got back together with her ex-boyfriend, the murder suspect Fu, and she allegedly claimed that Xie had molested her.
She then allegedly demanded a compensation of RM5,000 from Xie as well as letting them slap him 3 times. Fu then threatened the deceased if he didn’t agree to their terms.
Fu also allegedly said that he was a wanted man in Singapore and was not afraid to “add a few more charges” to his name.
Night of the murder
The deceased then asked them to give him one day to prepare himself, purportedly agreeing to their demands. However, when the deceased went to pick up his car later that night; Fu, who had purportedly been on drugs, then confronted him and stabbed him repeatedly with the knife.
The deceased then attempted to escape and sat down on a chair but due to the severity of his wounds; he was stabbed 9 times across his body, he succumbed to his injuries and slumped onto the ground, dying.
It all then culminated in the car crash of the suspects’ Singapore-registered Audi into the fence near the Istana Besar, before the trio were arrested and tested positive for methamphetamine, and linked to the murder.
Please read this. Please give me advice. I need help..
I hope it’s not too long for you to read. But I really don’t know what else to do. So please help. I also just want to rant.
I have 3 older sisters, I’m the youngest and the only boy. My first 2 sisters are autistic. Not as bad as you may assume. They don’t cause any issues and simply just mind their own business. They are now 35 and 33 years old respectively, and none of us (family) expected that they’ll ever be married, which is fine really and they’ll be under my care and live beside my house with my future wife, which we’re happy to do so. The issue here is my 3rd sister, who is 30 years old now.
Now about my 3rd sister, when it comes to education, she is top tier. But her social skills + her attitude is the worst. Her whole life is always from home to school to university to work. For her, there’s no such thing as hanging out with friends (which she has very little). She doesn’t even keep up with any latest news about anything. Like it’s so bad, you can go to her and ask “hey do you have fb?” and she’ll say “What’s that?” and never bother to find out anything about it. She lives in her own bubble, ignorant of everything else that doesn’t concern her.
Okay, maybe it’s not that bad if she just don’t care about lots of things. Fine. But her judgemental attitude is probably beyond repair. She has this superiority complex, thinking she’s better than everyone. She has this “It’s either my way or high way” attitude, in other words, 0 tolerance on anyone’s flaws and imperfections, but she wants the world to accept her for who she is. She made lots of cash, and she is extremely stingy towards everyone. I don’t even ask for any of her cash, but one time I got an emergency about my car breaking down, and my salary hasn’t come in yet, I asked to borrow from her, and she kept arguing about it. In the end, she said she’ll give only 5 bucks. And I need to pay back within 24 hours. It’s ridiculous. I’m her brother, not a stranger. My first 2 sisters gave me way more to help me out and they say it’s important for them to know I’m safe. I still paid them back regardless. Even my friends are willing to give me like at least 100 bucks if really needed, or even more.
When it comes to religion, it’s even worse. Imagine you watch a movie say about those Greek / Norse Mythology kind, she’ll then tell me and my first 2 sisters to not watch cause “this will influence you to be out from religion” like ??? Even my first 2 sisters have more common sense than my 3rd sister. She can just walk away if her faith is that weak. Apparently, my 3rd sister wants to be “perfect”. You know, 0 mistakes, flawless. We all know human beings are not perfect. But she insist that we all can be if we try.
Now, she’s 30, and she hasn’t experience falling in love with anyone. She puts unrealistic expectations for a guy to be with her. Now, she’s asking me for help to look for someone for her. Thing is, I can. But, what I’m scared is, if any guys find out how she is, they’ll leave her. Or worst, they’ll get married, have a kid, get a divorce, and then I need to start being a father figure for my niece/nephew. I already have my first 2 sisters and my future wife to think about (about to be married in few months).
With all these attitudes, she always result to blame my mother. Yes, my mother was a narcissistic person. It’s not easy for me and my first 2 sisters too, but we pulled through and became better cause we chose to be better. My mother even apologized to everyone and has made sincere efforts. I’m getting old, so what good is there to hold grudges over something I can’t change anymore right? My 3rd sister doesn’t want to forgive our mother, so, fine. But still, she has now turned to exactly what our mother was. A narcissistic person.
So yeah, I’m tired. My first 2 sisters may be autistic, but the real inconvenience and a r*tard here is my 3rd sister. She doesn’t want to listen to anyone as she thinks she’s the only one who’s right. I have done everything. I have done all I can to make my 3rd sister learn and grow up as a mature adult. But, she choose not to grow.
There’s more to the story, which if anyone ask, I may just reply in the comments. Maybe.
If anyone can give me advice, please do. Thank you for reading all the was through.
It was earlier reported that 26-year-old Singaporean, Fu Yiming, was charged with a number of offences including a murder charge, in relation to the stabbing of 25-year-old Malaysian Xie Zhiyu.
He was one of three suspects of were arrested in relation to the case, with fellow Singaporean suspect, 29-year-old Pan Xuanyao also appearing in Malaysian court to face two charges, before being released on a bail of RM12,000.
He had been out of remand on 30 October and is scheduled to return to court on 13 December.
Another of the suspects, a 33-year-old Malaysian woman Yang Yiwen, was also released on bail after being arrested in relation to the murder case.
The charges
All three of the suspects were arrested when their Singapore-registered Audi crashed into the fence near the Istana Besar, and they were found to have tested positive for methamphetamine.
Pan was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, that led to the aforementioned accident; as well as drug consumption.
He pleaded not guilty in court, and after being released on bail with two guarantors, has to report to the police station once a month, before his next scheduled hearing on 13 December.
The Malaysian woman was also released on bail, but details of her charges were not revealed.
The Malaysian Woman’s Alleged Involvement
According to some reports, the Malaysian woman was allegedly involved with the deceased and the other Singaporean suspect, Fu Yiming.
Recap on murder case
On the night of October 27, 25-year-old Xie Zhiyu was stabbed repeatedly to death outside a nightclub in Johor Bahru, with two Singaporean suspects being arrested subsequently, along with a Malaysian woman, according to China Press.
At approximately 3 a.m. on that night, an assailant stabbed Xie outside a nightclub in JB. The 25-year-old victim suffered at least nine stab wounds.
Struggling to escape, the victim staggered across the street and managed to find refuge on a chair in front of a nearby shop.
With his phone in hand, he attempted to seek help but, tragically, his efforts proved futile. In a matter of minutes, he succumbed to his injuries, collapsing to the ground.
1. It boils down to your risk appetite and future trajectory. If you have a low-risk appetite, you can consider staying in your existing house and putting your lump sum into any of the high savings accounts that yield a high return. Assuming you pump in 100 grand, you are looking at five grand annually potentially, and this is a pretty good return, considering the current market. Presently, many banks are giving promotions on high-return savings accounts. I suggest you research that up, but note that the returns will change as they update it regularly.
2. Depending on where your existing house is and factoring in your child’s needs, you may or may not want to continue staying in this house. E.g., if you are staying at a location that is highly accessible to transport and has an ideal school that you think is good for nurturing your child, then you can consider staying. Otherwise, you can decouple if you still wish to purchase a second property. That helps you escape the ABSD fee, and you can use that property for a higher investment yield (The Propertylim Brother released a podcast series on the different housing tiers pros and cons and strategy, you can listen their podcast to get insights into the insiders pov). But given the interest rate for bank loans is relatively high now, unless you can pay in full or get a lower loan amount, then you may consider this option; otherwise, if you are looking to max out your loan, you may find yourself paying for the interest rather than the property. Assuming you decide to purchase the second property, you can also consider selling your car to cut operating costs and hopefully make a profit since COE is at its peak in condition if your kids are of the age where they can take public transport themselves. Consider this as part of teaching them to be independent. The thing about owning a second property in your case is that the gov requires you to stay in the private property if you own a public and private property, so you can rent out your existing flat and use that rental fee as part of the monthly installment to pay for your apartment. Also, note that as much as the private property may appear to be lucrative when it comes to the “flip” there is many underlying cost to the net profit that agents don’t tell you (e.g., maintenance fee, interest fee, etc), so if you factored that in, the gain may or may not be as high as what people project to you because what is said often is the gross profit.
3. Diversify your basket. You can do both 1 and 2 tgt, and at the same time, invest in blue chip stock that also gives you dividends. It all depends on your financial strength and capacity.
Take what I say with a pinch of salt, as I am no expert in this field. Anyway, you can also read more about taxation to look into paying less legally. As commenters said, contact a property agent, ideally someone you are close to, so they won’t provide advice that only benefits them. I hope you’ll weigh your options carefully and pick the best fit for your lifestyle!
In a shocking incident that unfolded in Johor Bahru (JB) on the night of October 27, 25-year-old Xie Zhiyu was stabbed repeatedly to death outside a nightclub in Johor Bahru, with two Singaporean suspects being arrested subsequently, along with a Malaysian woman, according to China Press.
One of the suspects, 26-year-old Singaporean Fu Yiming, was charged in court yesterday with murder, where he faces the possible death penalty if convicted.
The Stabbing Incident in Johor Bahru (JB)
At approximately 3 a.m. on that night, an unidentified assailant stabbed Xie outside a nightclub in JB. The 25-year-old victim suffered at least nine stab wounds.
An assailant mercilessly stabbed the young man repeatedly. Struggling to escape, the victim staggered across the street and managed to find refuge on a chair in front of a nearby shop.
With his phone in hand, he attempted to seek help but, tragically, his efforts proved futile. In a matter of minutes, he succumbed to his injuries, collapsing to the ground.
The surveillance footage from that ill-fated night revealed a disturbing detail: a police vehicle drove past the scene while the victim was still alive but he didn’t ask them for help.
The situation took a dramatic turn when local police encountered a suspicious Singapore-registered Audi along Jalan Tanjong Puteri around 5.30 a.m.
The car attempted to evade law enforcement, but the driver lost control, resulting in a collision with two other vehicles.
The Audi eventually crashed into the fence at Istana Besar, marking a chaotic and destructive end to the escape attempt.
The Arrested Suspects
During the arrest, law enforcement apprehended three individuals from the crashed Audi, two of whom were Singaporean.
In a twist, a knife and a razor blade were recovered from the scene. Moreover, drug tests conducted on the suspects yielded positive results for methamphetamine, as the Singaporeans were subsequently arrested and linked to the murder case at the nightclub.
Charges and Possible Penalties
The severity of the crime became apparent as charges were filed against the suspects.
One of the Singaporean men, Fu Yiming, faced a murder charge for the stabbing incident. If convicted, Fu could potentially face the death penalty, highlighting the gravity of the offense, according to China Press.
In addition to the murder charge, he was charged with a violation of Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, as he tested positive for methamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
If found guilty of this offense, he might face a jail term of less than two years or a fine of RM5,000 (S$1,432.81).
However, despite his positive drug test, Fu denied the charges against him in court.
Court Proceedings and Defiant Attitude
Court proceedings commenced on October 31, bringing the accused, Fu Yiming, before the law. It was reported that he faced the charges with a sense of defiance, raising eyebrows in the courtroom.
The gravity of the situation and the potential consequences did not seem to deter his audacious demeanor, as he shouted at the media outside the courtroom to “film me!” while asking them “you never cover a murder case before is it?”
The victim
According to Sin Chew Daily, the alleged murder victim was 25-year-old Xie Zhiyu, an electrician working at a university in Skudai, Johor. Those who knew him described him as a filial son who never found himself in trouble or stayed out late.
Zhiyu’s parents shared their heartfelt sentiments during his wake, painting a picture of a son who was not only responsible but also deeply caring.
He was the type of person who would go home promptly after his work shift and, at most, enjoy tea with friends. Such responsible behavior led his parents to have absolute faith in his safety and well-being.
Unanswered Questions
What remains a point of confusion for the grieving family is Zhiyu’s reluctance to confide in them about any problems he might have been facing.
This aspect of his character has become a perplexing mystery, making it challenging for his parents to comprehend what could have transpired on that fateful night.
The Fateful Night
On the night of the incident, Zhiyu left his home without disclosing his destination to his parents. This departure raised alarm bells when the family received a call from one of Zhiyu’s friends around 3 a.m.
It was then that they learned of the grim situation. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived at the scene, it was too late.
The father revealed that he watched surveillance footage of the incident. In the video, Zhiyu was seen sitting on a chair along a walkway before tragically falling from his seat.
This shocking turn of events has left his family in a state of despair, as they try to piece together the events leading up to this tragedy.
As the investigation into this tragic incident unfolds, many questions still linger. The father expressed that he does not recognize the Singaporean suspects, and he also not sure if his son had a girlfriend at the time or not.
On October 9, a seemingly ordinary day at a higher vocational college in Guangdong, China, took an unexpected turn.
A student’s phone, a source of distraction, led to a chaotic scene that has since garnered widespread attention.
The boy attacked his teacher, strangling and choking the latter repeatedly for confiscating his phone, after the student was caught playing with his phone in class, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Incident in Guangdong
The incident began when a student, engrossed in his smartphone and playing video games on it, disregarded the ongoing class.
Frustrated by the student’s lack of engagement, the teacher, clad in a green shirt, decided to take action. He firmly but calmly asked the student to surrender his phone, citing the disruption caused by playing video games during the class.
Refusing to part with his device, he engaged in a tug of war with the teacher over the phone, escalating the situation.
The phone was eventually taken away by the teacher, who then resumed his lesson in the classroom while holding on to the student’s phone.
As tensions rose, the student’s frustration escalated to a shocking level. He resorted to physically assaulting the teacher by strangling and attempting to choke him not once but twice. The classroom was filled with gasps of horror as the situation spiraled out of control.
The physical altercation stunned the students in the classroom, who were caught off guard by the sudden outburst of violence. Some of the classmates stepped in to help pull the violent student away from the teacher, ensuring his safety.
The school in question, has since stated that they have “dealt with” the student involved, although they stopped short of mentioning what punishment was meted out to the boy.
43-year-old taxi driver Ler Chun Poh (also known as Lu Junbao), was convicted on 30 October of molesting a 17-year-old girl three times under the pretext of helping her put on and remove her seatbelt, after offering her a free ride, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The Fateful Night
The unsettling incident took place on the night of October 29, 2021, at about 11.40pm, when the victim found herself alone at a bus stop adjacent to a car park near Block 486, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5.
Her predicament arose from her earlier attempt to locate her boyfriend’s BlueSG rental car, as she believed she had inadvertently left her phone inside.
She was feeling worried at the time because she tried to find her missing phone but without success.
It was at this point that Ler Chun Poh entered the scene. He stopped his taxi and engaged her in conversation, ultimately offering her a free ride despite finding out that she didn’t have money to pay him.
Notably, the victim had made no gestures indicating her intent to flag down a taxi. Nevertheless, she decided to accept the offer, boarding Ler’s taxi when he insisted.
Unwanted Advances
Sitting in the front passenger seat, the girl asked the Ler for his phone number so she could ask her mother to help transfer money to him to pay for the taxi trip, but the driver refused.
Inside the taxi, a beeping sound emitted signalling that the girl’s seatbelt was not put on, and the girl then attempted to do so.
At the same time, Ler then reached out his hand in an attempt to “help” her, brushing his hand against her chest with pressure.
He also didn’t tell the girl or warn her that he was going to reach towards her or hold on to her seatbelt, and the girl was shocked at what happened but kept quiet.
Upon reaching a nearby car park, the victim disembarked to search for her boyfriend’s BlueSG car, which was parked in the vicinity.
Ler Chun Poh remained in his cab, patiently waiting. Unfortunately, her search for her phone proved fruitless, leading her back to the taxi, where Ler offered to take her home.
Unsettling Persistence
Although the victim declined the offer, Ler insisted on dropping her off somewhere nearby. With no one else around, the victim felt increasingly uneasy. She later described her state of mind as “unstable,” consumed by the desire to find her lost phone.
This state of distress continued as she began to fasten her seatbelt once more, even though no reminder had sounded. It was during this act that Ler Chun Poh once again violated her personal boundaries, molesting her without warning while assisting with the seatbelt.
The victim, experiencing shock and fear, later disembarked the taxi, expressing her gratitude for the ride.
She proceeded to approach a group of strangers, seeking their assistance in borrowing a phone. Her first calls were to her boyfriend and the police, disclosing the distressing encounter and the molestation that had taken place.
Ler is set to return to court next month for his mitigation and sentencing.
