TR EMERITUS

Yesterday, I walked from my home to Grassroots Club. On the way, I saw a few foreign workers sleeping on the pathway. It was early in the morning, at around 8.30 am. I wondered why these workers were not sleeping in the worker dormitory. Maybe, they do not have any work and are not paid, so they cannot afford to pay the rent for the dormitory. I thought that they might have slept in the dormitory and want to have additional sleep before they start work. But, this does not appear to be the case. I wanted to submit a report to the government. I thought about what is the channel to make this report. Should I make a police report? No crime or offense has been committed, so it does not appear to be appropriate to lodge a police report. Anyway, I had a recent experience of making a police report online regarding an online scam. They require me to answer a complicated template. I gave up due to the difficulty of filling up the template. I am sure that it would be more difficult for me to complete the template to report an incident that may not be an offense. I wondered if I could use the One Service app to lodge a report. This does not appear to be an issue for the app. I hope to see, one day, that there is a channel for a citizen to give a feedback to the government on any issue. The civil servant receiving the feedback can decide on the agency to handle the issue. It should not be the responsibility of the citizen to figure out the complexity of the government structure.   Tan Kin Lian      Read More →

The job market in Singapore is in recovery, especially after the Covid-19 Pandemic. Many companies are now actively hiring again, which has increased job seekers in the market. However, with the increase of job seekers, there has also been an increase in job scams. There are many different job scams, but they all have one common goal: to cheat job seekers out of their hard-earned money. In fact, in the first half of this year, 2022, the highest type of scams in Singapore were job scams which cost the victims around S$58.5 million. This is a huge number for sure, and quite sad that people are still being lured into these job scams. This blog post will look at some common methods used by scammers and how you can avoid falling prey to them. Methods Used By Scammers One of the most common methods scammers use is advertising fake jobs on online classified sites. They will use attractive job descriptions and offer high salaries to lure victims into applying for the job. Once the victim has applied for the job, the scammer will then ask for personal information such as NRIC number or bank account details, ostensibly for "verification purposes ". They may even go so far as to ask for a copy of your passport or employment pass. Once they have obtained this information, they will use it to withdraw money from your bank account or to obtain a loan in your name. Another common method used by scammers is selling false training courses that promise guaranteed employment after completion. They will often use persuasive sales and high-pressure tactics to get victims to sign up for the course. The courses are usually expensive, and victims will find that they do not lead to any real job opportunities after completing the course. Most job seekers out of Singapore receive a WhatsApp or text message from unknown numbers asking them to apply for a job in Singapore. The message will contain a link redirecting the victim to a fake website that looks like a legitimate job portal. The victim will then be asked to input their personal information, such as name, address, and contact details. Once the victim gives this information, the scammer can use it against them in many ways. Another way is that some of these victims are trafficked for forced labor or sexual exploitation. How To Avoid Job Scams Now that we know some of the methods used by scammers let's look at how you can avoid falling prey to them. Do your research As it goes, if the deal is too good, think twice! Often than not, these job adverts will promise you hefty salaries for the little work required. Do your research on the company and the job role that is being offered to ensure that it is legitimate. A simple Google search can help reveal a lot about a company. Be wary if you cannot find any information about the company online. Check the job portal If you are using a job portal to look for a job, make sure it is legitimate. Some of the most popular and legitimate job portals in Singapore include JobsCentral, JobStreet, and Indeed. Do not apply for jobs through links sent to you by unknown numbers via WhatsApp or text message, as these are mostly scams. Avoid clicking on suspicious links If you are an avid casino player, you have probably come across various links when checking out casino bonuses, such as the PlayCroco Casino bonuses. Although some of these may be legitimate, many of them are not. The same goes for job-related links. Do not click on links you do not trust, as they may lead you to a fake website. Be wary of personal information requests As we mentioned, scammers often ask for personal information such as your NRIC number or bank account details. Do not give out this information unless you are absolutely sure the company is legitimate. Beware of high-pressure sales tactics If you are considering signing up for a training course, be wary of any company that uses high-pressure sales tactics to get you to sign up. These courses are usually expensive and may not lead to any real job opportunities. Report any suspicious activity If you come across any job-related scams, report them to the relevant authorities, such as the Singapore Police Force or the Singapore Ministry of Manpower. By doing so, you can help to prevent others from becoming victims. Avoid paying anything upfront Desperation can make you do things you would not normally do, but try to avoid paying anything upfront for a job, no matter how great it sounds. This is a surefire way of getting scammed, and you will not get your money back. Wrapping up Job scams are becoming more common in Singapore, as scammers take advantage of desperate job seekers. However, by being vigilant and doing your research, you can easily avoid falling prey to these scams. So do not let yourself be scammed - stay safe out there!        Read More →

I refer to the report, “Multilateral order is ‘best bet’ for small states, which cannot survive if ‘might is right’: PM Lee (TODAY, Sep 23). I read with deep contemplation of the logic and reasoning of PM Lee’s speech for a Forum of Small States (FOSS). In relation to the survival of a small country: Mencius(372-289BC), the Confucian philosopher ever stated that a small country’s survival could not merely rely upon another mighty/big country’s protection. As, the relations of dependence and adhesion would not last long. Mencius advocated that the political leaders of a small country should strategically apply their wisdom and artifice to deal with the threats, allures and vicious provocation from any mighty countries as and when needed. It is good to learn that multilateralism works for and benefiting small countries especially in this turbulent, ever-changing and unpredictable world order. Nevertheless, it is also vital for small countries to apply pragmatism whenever in the disadvantaged situations or dilemma. Simultaneously, it is significant for a small country to heed the advice from the Confucius: It would be no harm to displease a big country which has proven track records of “noble moral integrity”, instead of offending a big country which is “vile character and vicious scheming”. In today’s complexity of world order, it’s sometimes inevitable for a small country to deploy “art of deceit” in dealing with difficult diplomacy. Anyway, it will be a rational trajectory - If a superpower has no solid background of morality and humanity, it will gradually fall into the state of decadency. Vice-versa, if a small country can persistently formulate and execute its policies of benevolence and win the vast supports of her people, it will gradually become stronger in all aspects.   Teo Kueh Liang (Mr)      Read More →