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President Tharman meets overseas Singaporeans in Brunei
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is in Brunei for his first overseas state visit at the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. This comes as the two countries commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations.
Speaking to about 400 guests at the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club on Wednesday, President Tharman said overseas Singaporeans play an important role in building the nation’s image abroad.
He added that their experience enriches Singapore because they gain a diversity of perspectives, which they will bring back with them when they return to the country.
Long queues at ATMs on first day of hongbao notes withdrawal
Snaking queues were seen at automated teller machines (ATMs) islandwide on Wednesday, the first day hongbao notes can be withdrawn for Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 10.
As with past years, new and “fit-for-gifting” notes can be withdrawn without any prior booking at selected DBS Bank, OCBC Bank and UOB pop-up and branch ATMs.
These are notes that are clean and suitable for recirculation.
DBS, OCBC and UOB started taking reservations for hongbao notes on Jan 17 on their websites.
S’porean arrested in Cambodia for suspected drug trafficking
A 59-year-old Singaporean man suspected of drug trafficking was among five foreign nationals arrested in Cambodia on Monday.
The Cambodian Anti-Drug Department said it seized 1.51 tonnes of narcotics, which had been brought into the country from Laos, and meant to be delivered to Taiwan.
The department said it seized 980kg of ketamine and 532kg of methamphetamine, also known as Ice.
Condo resale prices up 7.5% in 2023
Condominium resale prices rose 7.5 per cent in 2023, with December marking the fifth consecutive month of price growth for the market, according to flash data.
Despite a smaller increase of 0.5 per cent in overall resale prices in December compared with 0.8 per cent the month before, fewer units changed hands, as expected during the year-end holiday season.
Data showed that overall prices of units in the city fringe rose by 8.3 per cent and those in the suburban region rose by 8.2 per cent, while those in the central region rose by 4 per cent.
144 FairPrice outlets to stay open on first day of CNY
If you run out of food and drinks on the first day of Chinese New Year, you can head to FairPrice supermarkets, as 144, out of of 159, will remain open on that day – Feb 10.
Forty-two of the outlets will operate round the clock, an increase from the 34 last year.
On the eve of Chinese New Year (Feb 9), 35 stores will be open round the clock and all other outlets until 5pm. On Feb 8, 69 branches will be open for 24 hours.
KG Catering fined a second time in under
3 months for hygiene lapses
KG Catering has been suspended for two weeks, from Jan 23 to Feb 5, and fined $3,000 after accumulating 12 demerit points within a year.
The caterer committed two offences – failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation, and sale or preparation of food where it is likely to be contaminated.
The caterer was fined $6,000 on Nov 1, 2023, for multiple hygiene violations, after 92 people had food poisoning after consuming food it prepared between Sept 20, 2022, and March 11, 2023.
