12月私宅租金微涨0.1％
周文龙 2016年01月13日 1557
（联合早报网讯）房地产交易网站SRX今天发布最新的房地产租金数据，本地私宅租金止跌回升，去年12月份私宅租金比之前一个月微升0.1％，终止了非有地私宅租金连续10个月跌势。
数据显示，12月份各类别私宅中，核心中央区（CCR）和中央区以外（OCR）的私宅租金上扬，分别涨了1.0％和0.1％。其他中央区（RCR）的私宅项目则下跌0.6％。
同比而言，去年12月私宅租金同比下跌5.4％。
就出租私宅单位数量方面，12月份出租单位减少7％，从去年11月的3325个单位，在12月跌至3093个单位。
另一方面，SRX发布的组屋租金数据，12月份组屋租金环比下跌0.6％。
三房式、四房式、五房式组屋租金分别跌0.6％、0.8％和0.8％。公寓式组屋租金则持平。
12月份出租的组屋单位预计有1790个，较11月份的1817个，增加1.5％。
- See more at: http://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/singapore/story20160113-570482#sthash.si0A8mqH.dpuf
- wong chee tat :)
Showing posts with label outlook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outlook. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
SRX预估数据： 公寓转售价去年跌势放缓
SRX预估数据： 公寓转售价去年跌势放缓
涂健强 2016年01月13日
涂健强 报道 thorkk@sph.com.sg
2015年对本地私宅领域来说像是还未过完的寒冬，房地产交易网站SRX昨天公布的最新预估数据显示，本地公寓的转售价格在去年下跌了2.1％。不过，跟前年的4％跌幅比较，去年的情况已有改善，而去年私宅转售数量也比2014年增加28％。
不过分析师预计今年私宅市场仍会保持疲弱，屋价会进一步下跌2％至3％。
上月非有地私宅转售价
无法延续11月上涨趋势
用来追踪转售价格数据的SRX Property Index（简称SPI指数）显示，上个月非有地私宅转售价格无法延续11月的上涨趋势，12月的公寓市场交易量虽然有所增加，但是转售价却比11月下跌0.8％，其中，位于其他中央区（RCR）的私宅跌幅最大（1.2%）,核心中央区（CCR）和中央区以外（OCR）的转售价格则分别下跌0.5％和0.7％。
若和2014年12月相比，2015年12月的公寓转售价减少了2.1％，和2014年1月的高峰期相比则下跌7.8％。
ERA产业主要执行员林东荣认为，去年私宅价格跌幅比2014年的4％跌幅来得小，这对于屋主而言算是一个小小的慰藉，不过在市场环境没有改善的情况下，今年私宅价格预计仍会进一步下跌。
林东荣说：“踏入2016年，本地私宅市场预计仍会面对很强劲的逆风，因为新加坡经济疲弱的走势还有利率上升都是可以遇见的事情。”
博纳集团（PropNex Realty）总裁伊斯迈（Mohamed Ismail）同样预测，在政府仍然维持降温措施的情况下，预计本地私宅价格在今年会缓慢下跌2％到3％，但他认为房价下跌后，便宜的房价可以促使买家出手购买，这将会让私宅的交易量有所提升。
SRX的数据显示，去年12月有519个公寓单位的转售交易，比11月的472个单位增加了10％，与2014年同期的360个转售单位相比则增加了44.2％。
伊斯迈说：“虽然价格下跌反映出目前疲弱的市场情绪以及降温措施的影响还在，可是交易量上升却反映买家有信心房价已慢慢筑底，过后将会反弹，所以愿意进场出手。”
林东荣说：“12月份向来是交易淡静的季节，所以有关交易量提升很令人看好，我们发现有更多买家转向投资转售市场，尤其是寻找更大型单位的自住型买家，因为发展商所推出的新单位基本上都是更小型的单位。全年而言，SRX数据显示2015年的公寓转售数量为6364个单位，比2014年增加28％，今年预计也会有更多的转售交易，新项目推出的单位数量预计会减少。”
SRX的数据显示，去年12月有519个公寓单位的转售交易，比11月的472个单位增加了10％，与2014年同期的360个转售单位相比则增加了44.2％。
- See more at: http://www.zaobao.com.sg/finance/singapore/story20160113-570313#sthash.lXWO5DIE.dpuf
- wong chee tat :)
涂健强 2016年01月13日
涂健强 报道 thorkk@sph.com.sg
2015年对本地私宅领域来说像是还未过完的寒冬，房地产交易网站SRX昨天公布的最新预估数据显示，本地公寓的转售价格在去年下跌了2.1％。不过，跟前年的4％跌幅比较，去年的情况已有改善，而去年私宅转售数量也比2014年增加28％。
不过分析师预计今年私宅市场仍会保持疲弱，屋价会进一步下跌2％至3％。
上月非有地私宅转售价
无法延续11月上涨趋势
用来追踪转售价格数据的SRX Property Index（简称SPI指数）显示，上个月非有地私宅转售价格无法延续11月的上涨趋势，12月的公寓市场交易量虽然有所增加，但是转售价却比11月下跌0.8％，其中，位于其他中央区（RCR）的私宅跌幅最大（1.2%）,核心中央区（CCR）和中央区以外（OCR）的转售价格则分别下跌0.5％和0.7％。
若和2014年12月相比，2015年12月的公寓转售价减少了2.1％，和2014年1月的高峰期相比则下跌7.8％。
ERA产业主要执行员林东荣认为，去年私宅价格跌幅比2014年的4％跌幅来得小，这对于屋主而言算是一个小小的慰藉，不过在市场环境没有改善的情况下，今年私宅价格预计仍会进一步下跌。
林东荣说：“踏入2016年，本地私宅市场预计仍会面对很强劲的逆风，因为新加坡经济疲弱的走势还有利率上升都是可以遇见的事情。”
博纳集团（PropNex Realty）总裁伊斯迈（Mohamed Ismail）同样预测，在政府仍然维持降温措施的情况下，预计本地私宅价格在今年会缓慢下跌2％到3％，但他认为房价下跌后，便宜的房价可以促使买家出手购买，这将会让私宅的交易量有所提升。
SRX的数据显示，去年12月有519个公寓单位的转售交易，比11月的472个单位增加了10％，与2014年同期的360个转售单位相比则增加了44.2％。
伊斯迈说：“虽然价格下跌反映出目前疲弱的市场情绪以及降温措施的影响还在，可是交易量上升却反映买家有信心房价已慢慢筑底，过后将会反弹，所以愿意进场出手。”
林东荣说：“12月份向来是交易淡静的季节，所以有关交易量提升很令人看好，我们发现有更多买家转向投资转售市场，尤其是寻找更大型单位的自住型买家，因为发展商所推出的新单位基本上都是更小型的单位。全年而言，SRX数据显示2015年的公寓转售数量为6364个单位，比2014年增加28％，今年预计也会有更多的转售交易，新项目推出的单位数量预计会减少。”
SRX的数据显示，去年12月有519个公寓单位的转售交易，比11月的472个单位增加了10％，与2014年同期的360个转售单位相比则增加了44.2％。
- See more at: http://www.zaobao.com.sg/finance/singapore/story20160113-570313#sthash.lXWO5DIE.dpuf
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, December 8, 2014
Ex-DBS banker Melvin Teo to be next Yeo Hiap Seng CEO
Ex-DBS banker Melvin Teo to be next Yeo Hiap Seng CEO
Mr Teo will take over from current CEO Tjong Yik Min, 62, who is retiring with effect from Apr 30, 2015.
SINGAPORE: Yeo Hiap Seng Group chief executive officer Tjong Yik Min, 62, is retiring with effect from Apr 30, 2015, the soft drinks and property firm said on Monday (Dec 8).
Mr Tjong will be succeeded by former DBS banker Melvin Teo Tzai Win, 43, who will be appointed Executive Director and CEO designate with effect from Jan 1. Mr Teo will become Group CEO on Apr 24.
Mr Teo was President-Director at DBS Indonesia from October 2012 to November 2014. His previous roles at Singapore's largest banking group include China CEO and Head of Private Equity.
Mr Tjong joined Yeo Hiap Seng as president and chief operating officer on Jul 22, 2002 and became Group CEO on Apr 26, 2010.
- CNA/cy
- wong chee tat :)
Mr Teo will take over from current CEO Tjong Yik Min, 62, who is retiring with effect from Apr 30, 2015.
SINGAPORE: Yeo Hiap Seng Group chief executive officer Tjong Yik Min, 62, is retiring with effect from Apr 30, 2015, the soft drinks and property firm said on Monday (Dec 8).
Mr Tjong will be succeeded by former DBS banker Melvin Teo Tzai Win, 43, who will be appointed Executive Director and CEO designate with effect from Jan 1. Mr Teo will become Group CEO on Apr 24.
Mr Teo was President-Director at DBS Indonesia from October 2012 to November 2014. His previous roles at Singapore's largest banking group include China CEO and Head of Private Equity.
Mr Tjong joined Yeo Hiap Seng as president and chief operating officer on Jul 22, 2002 and became Group CEO on Apr 26, 2010.
- CNA/cy
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
HP increases job cuts to 55,000 in reorganisation bid
HP increases job cuts to 55,000 in reorganisation bid
This is at least 5,000 more than its previous estimate, says the US tech giant.
NEW YORK: Hewlett-Packard (HP) said on Monday (Oct 6) that its corporate reorganisation would result in a total of 55,000 jobs slashed - at least 5,000 more than its previous estimate.
The US tech giant said it had increased its prior estimate of 45,000 to 50,000 job losses "independent of the separation transaction".
HP had on Monday confirmed that it would split into two separate, listed companies by splitting its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations.
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
This is at least 5,000 more than its previous estimate, says the US tech giant.
NEW YORK: Hewlett-Packard (HP) said on Monday (Oct 6) that its corporate reorganisation would result in a total of 55,000 jobs slashed - at least 5,000 more than its previous estimate.
The US tech giant said it had increased its prior estimate of 45,000 to 50,000 job losses "independent of the separation transaction".
HP had on Monday confirmed that it would split into two separate, listed companies by splitting its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations.
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
Hewlett-Packard confirms to split in two by end-FY2015
Hewlett-Packard confirms to split in two by end-FY2015
Hewlett-Packard has confirmed that it will split into two separate, listed companies by separating its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations by the end of fiscal year 2015.
NEW YORK: Hewlett-Packard said on Monday (Oct 6) it would split into two separate, listed companies by separating its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations. The move follows a trend of technology firms and other corporations, including eBay last week, splitting their businesses into separate companies, based on the belief that tightly focused firms perform better.
The split "will provide each new company with the independence, focus, financial resources, and flexibility they need to adapt quickly to market and customer dynamics, while generating long-term value for shareholders," said HP chief executive Meg Whitman in a statement.
"In short, by transitioning now from one HP to two new companies, created out of our successful turnaround efforts, we will be in an even better position to compete in the market, support our customers and partners, and deliver maximum value to our shareholders," she said. It will take place as a tax-free distribution of shares to HP's stockholders.
Whitman will serve as chairman of the PC and printer business, dubbed HP Inc, and chief-executive of the separate Hewlett-Packard Enterprise company, the statement said. Dion Weisler, an executive in the PC and printer operation, is to be chief executive of that streamlined business, the report said.
HP has been undergoing a massive reorganisation to cope with the move away from traditional personal computers to mobile devices. The California company, which has been in the throes of a major reorganization since 2012, said on Monday the plan would eliminate a total of 55,000 jobs "independent of the separation transaction." Until recently, HP had said the plan would cut up to 50,000 jobs.
The breakup plan, subject to final board approval, is expected to be completed by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The decision follows US online retail giant eBay' plans unveiled last week to spin off PayPal in a move designed to help the unit compete better in the fast-moving online payments segment.
HP shares jumped four per cent to 36.61 in opening trades, as initial reaction to the announcement was generally positive.
Brian White, analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, said there is a "long list of reasons" to separate the two units. "The enterprise IT market is becoming increasingly competitive and the PC market has been in a downturn since the iPad was unveiled in April 2010," White said in a note to clients.
"Given the challenges in managing a company the size of HP, the negative, long-term secular trends in the PC market that discourage investor attention, and the need for HP to focus more on the cloud, ... we believe a separation into two companies makes sense, as we have suggested for quite some time."
Sherri Scribner at Deutsche Bank agreed, saying there were "limited synergies" between the two segments and that each unit has "different growth and margin profiles". Ben Reitzes at Barclays said the spinoff "could expand HP's value" but that it was "not a signal that fundamentals are about to change drastically for PCs."
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
Hewlett-Packard has confirmed that it will split into two separate, listed companies by separating its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations by the end of fiscal year 2015.
NEW YORK: Hewlett-Packard said on Monday (Oct 6) it would split into two separate, listed companies by separating its computer and printer businesses from its corporate hardware and services operations. The move follows a trend of technology firms and other corporations, including eBay last week, splitting their businesses into separate companies, based on the belief that tightly focused firms perform better.
The split "will provide each new company with the independence, focus, financial resources, and flexibility they need to adapt quickly to market and customer dynamics, while generating long-term value for shareholders," said HP chief executive Meg Whitman in a statement.
"In short, by transitioning now from one HP to two new companies, created out of our successful turnaround efforts, we will be in an even better position to compete in the market, support our customers and partners, and deliver maximum value to our shareholders," she said. It will take place as a tax-free distribution of shares to HP's stockholders.
Whitman will serve as chairman of the PC and printer business, dubbed HP Inc, and chief-executive of the separate Hewlett-Packard Enterprise company, the statement said. Dion Weisler, an executive in the PC and printer operation, is to be chief executive of that streamlined business, the report said.
HP has been undergoing a massive reorganisation to cope with the move away from traditional personal computers to mobile devices. The California company, which has been in the throes of a major reorganization since 2012, said on Monday the plan would eliminate a total of 55,000 jobs "independent of the separation transaction." Until recently, HP had said the plan would cut up to 50,000 jobs.
The breakup plan, subject to final board approval, is expected to be completed by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The decision follows US online retail giant eBay' plans unveiled last week to spin off PayPal in a move designed to help the unit compete better in the fast-moving online payments segment.
HP shares jumped four per cent to 36.61 in opening trades, as initial reaction to the announcement was generally positive.
Brian White, analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, said there is a "long list of reasons" to separate the two units. "The enterprise IT market is becoming increasingly competitive and the PC market has been in a downturn since the iPad was unveiled in April 2010," White said in a note to clients.
"Given the challenges in managing a company the size of HP, the negative, long-term secular trends in the PC market that discourage investor attention, and the need for HP to focus more on the cloud, ... we believe a separation into two companies makes sense, as we have suggested for quite some time."
Sherri Scribner at Deutsche Bank agreed, saying there were "limited synergies" between the two segments and that each unit has "different growth and margin profiles". Ben Reitzes at Barclays said the spinoff "could expand HP's value" but that it was "not a signal that fundamentals are about to change drastically for PCs."
- AFP/al
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, October 3, 2014
Disrupted StarHub fibre broadband services restored
Disrupted StarHub fibre broadband services restored
Customers had started leaving complaints on the telco's Facebook page from around 6pm onwards. The telco said services were "fully restored" close to midnight.
SINGAPORE: StarHub's fibre broadband and digital voice services were disrupted on Thursday (Oct 2), with services being "fully restored" as of 11.50pm.
"We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure service stability for affected customers," a spokesperson for the telco told Channel NewsAsia.
At about 9pm, StarHub had said it was aware that "some of our fibre broadband and Digital Voice (fibre) customers are facing difficulties in using the services at the moment. We are currently working to rectify this as quickly as we can". About 90 minutes later, the telco said that the affected fibre services are "now progressively being restored".
StarHub customers took to the telco's Facebook page to voice their concerns, from about 6pm onwards. Complaints came from fibre broadband customers in Yishun, Tampines, Kovan and Sembawang, who said they experienced "technical errors" when trying to connect to the Internet.
One StarHub customer, who said she had been in touch with the telco, posted on Facebook that StarHub's customer service officer told her it was an "island-wide issue".
Channel NewsAsia understands that residents in Pasir Ris and Sengkang are also affected.
Mr Alan Ang, who lives in Sengkang, told Channel NewsAsia that he started experiencing problems with his fibre broadband connection around 7pm this evening.
- CNA/dl
- wong chee tat ):
Customers had started leaving complaints on the telco's Facebook page from around 6pm onwards. The telco said services were "fully restored" close to midnight.
SINGAPORE: StarHub's fibre broadband and digital voice services were disrupted on Thursday (Oct 2), with services being "fully restored" as of 11.50pm.
"We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure service stability for affected customers," a spokesperson for the telco told Channel NewsAsia.
At about 9pm, StarHub had said it was aware that "some of our fibre broadband and Digital Voice (fibre) customers are facing difficulties in using the services at the moment. We are currently working to rectify this as quickly as we can". About 90 minutes later, the telco said that the affected fibre services are "now progressively being restored".
StarHub customers took to the telco's Facebook page to voice their concerns, from about 6pm onwards. Complaints came from fibre broadband customers in Yishun, Tampines, Kovan and Sembawang, who said they experienced "technical errors" when trying to connect to the Internet.
One StarHub customer, who said she had been in touch with the telco, posted on Facebook that StarHub's customer service officer told her it was an "island-wide issue".
Channel NewsAsia understands that residents in Pasir Ris and Sengkang are also affected.
Mr Alan Ang, who lives in Sengkang, told Channel NewsAsia that he started experiencing problems with his fibre broadband connection around 7pm this evening.
- CNA/dl
- wong chee tat ):
Saturday, July 26, 2014
“(xxxx.pst) has reached its maximum size. To reduce the amount of data in this file, select some items that you no longer need,then permanently (shift + del) delete them.”
“(xxxx.pst) has reached its maximum size. To reduce the amount of data in this file, select some items that you no longer need,then permanently (shift + del) delete them.” pops up in MS Outlook 2010.
However, deleting old mails with large file size cannot be deleted.
How to resolve that?
First, check the format of the Outlook data file (or simply email archive - pst file). Select the particular pst file,then go to Data File Properties.
In the email archive properties, select "Advanced" button.
This brings up the Outlook Data File with the follow:
You should see:
Name of the email archive,
The filename or the location,
Format.
Check the format is (97-2002). If so, this means that the particular email archive is ANSI encoded and is fast approaching 2Gb limit.
Go to the email archive location and check the file size is it around 2Gb. It should be around 1.9Gb and close to 2Gb.
A workaround would be perform a compact by clicking on Compact Now button. This would reduce the size of outlook data file.
Save and close MS Outlook and relaunch.
Try to add or delete items from the folder and it should work.
- wong chee tat :)
However, deleting old mails with large file size cannot be deleted.
How to resolve that?
First, check the format of the Outlook data file (or simply email archive - pst file). Select the particular pst file,then go to Data File Properties.
In the email archive properties, select "Advanced" button.
This brings up the Outlook Data File with the follow:
You should see:
Name of the email archive,
The filename or the location,
Format.
Check the format is (97-2002). If so, this means that the particular email archive is ANSI encoded and is fast approaching 2Gb limit.
Go to the email archive location and check the file size is it around 2Gb. It should be around 1.9Gb and close to 2Gb.
A workaround would be perform a compact by clicking on Compact Now button. This would reduce the size of outlook data file.
Save and close MS Outlook and relaunch.
Try to add or delete items from the folder and it should work.
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Hiring outlook: More short-term contracts on the cards
Hiring outlook: More short-term contracts on the cards
Labour market watchers say companies in Singapore may increase headcount in the coming months, as economic activity picks up towards the year-end. However, they expect that some of the hiring will lean towards short-term contracts.
SINGAPORE: With economic growth seen picking up, after a weaker than expected start to the year, firms may be more willing to hire towards the year-end. Human Capital Singapore, the national human resource training centre, says vacancies may open up in banking and finance, among other sectors.
"If you look at some statistics that were released in the market, it has indicated that at least about 53 per cent have indicated that they will hire more. And out of this 53 per cent, 33 per cent of them are saying that, they are looking at, at least hiring another 10 additional headcounts," said Chief Executive of Human Capital Singapore, Ms Ho Geok Choo.
With foreign worker limits in place, service-oriented industries like food and beverage may feel the squeeze. And so, to cope during busy festive seasons, more firms may look at stop-gap solutions.
"What is very fashionable nowadays is where, they are beginning to bring in people on a short-term basis - that means contract-for-service, rather than contract-of-service. So they might hire them for six months to 12 months," Ms Ho said.
However, one sector with a tepid hiring outlook may be manufacturing, with growth relatively sluggish as firms restructure.
"There is drag coming from the electronics cluster in the overall manufacturing sector. On the other hand, we are seeing some upside surprise coming from the pharmaceutical cluster, as well as the marine, offshore marine engineering cluster," said Mr Irvin Seah, a senior economist at DBS Bank. "But that being said, these two clusters tend to be quite volatile."
Economists expect the unemployment rate to be 1.9 per cent at the end of 2014. This, they say, is pretty much a situation of full employment, which means there'll be no letup in the tightness of the labour market.
- CNA/ly
- wong chee tat :)
Labour market watchers say companies in Singapore may increase headcount in the coming months, as economic activity picks up towards the year-end. However, they expect that some of the hiring will lean towards short-term contracts.
SINGAPORE: With economic growth seen picking up, after a weaker than expected start to the year, firms may be more willing to hire towards the year-end. Human Capital Singapore, the national human resource training centre, says vacancies may open up in banking and finance, among other sectors.
"If you look at some statistics that were released in the market, it has indicated that at least about 53 per cent have indicated that they will hire more. And out of this 53 per cent, 33 per cent of them are saying that, they are looking at, at least hiring another 10 additional headcounts," said Chief Executive of Human Capital Singapore, Ms Ho Geok Choo.
With foreign worker limits in place, service-oriented industries like food and beverage may feel the squeeze. And so, to cope during busy festive seasons, more firms may look at stop-gap solutions.
"What is very fashionable nowadays is where, they are beginning to bring in people on a short-term basis - that means contract-for-service, rather than contract-of-service. So they might hire them for six months to 12 months," Ms Ho said.
However, one sector with a tepid hiring outlook may be manufacturing, with growth relatively sluggish as firms restructure.
"There is drag coming from the electronics cluster in the overall manufacturing sector. On the other hand, we are seeing some upside surprise coming from the pharmaceutical cluster, as well as the marine, offshore marine engineering cluster," said Mr Irvin Seah, a senior economist at DBS Bank. "But that being said, these two clusters tend to be quite volatile."
Economists expect the unemployment rate to be 1.9 per cent at the end of 2014. This, they say, is pretty much a situation of full employment, which means there'll be no letup in the tightness of the labour market.
- CNA/ly
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
StarHub confirms 3G voice network disruption
StarHub confirms 3G voice network disruption
StarHub says its 3G outgoing voice call service was temporarily affected in western and central areas but has been fully restored as of 5pm.
SINGAPORE: StarHub's 3G outgoing voice call service was temporarily affected in certain western and central areas of Singapore earlier on Tuesday (June 10), but the telco says service was fully restored at 5pm.
"We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure service stability for our customers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and thank affected customers for their patience and understanding.”
StarHub earlier said the "intermittent 3G outgoing voice call issue" was being progressively restored, after complaints from customers on its Facebook page who said they have been unable to make calls since this morning (June 10). The telco had advised affected customers to switch to 2G networks to make outgoing calls.
Facebook user Abhijeet Kulkarni said on Starhub's Facebook page: "(I've been) unable to make any outgoing calls on my phone since 9.30am today." Another customer, Frasir Chan, also wrote on the page: "We at Bendemeer area are not able to make calls."
A viewer, Gary, informed Channel NewsAsia at noon that his network had been down for around three hours and he was unable to call out using his mobile phone.
- CNA/cy/ek
- wong chee tat :)
StarHub says its 3G outgoing voice call service was temporarily affected in western and central areas but has been fully restored as of 5pm.
SINGAPORE: StarHub's 3G outgoing voice call service was temporarily affected in certain western and central areas of Singapore earlier on Tuesday (June 10), but the telco says service was fully restored at 5pm.
"We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure service stability for our customers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and thank affected customers for their patience and understanding.”
StarHub earlier said the "intermittent 3G outgoing voice call issue" was being progressively restored, after complaints from customers on its Facebook page who said they have been unable to make calls since this morning (June 10). The telco had advised affected customers to switch to 2G networks to make outgoing calls.
Facebook user Abhijeet Kulkarni said on Starhub's Facebook page: "(I've been) unable to make any outgoing calls on my phone since 9.30am today." Another customer, Frasir Chan, also wrote on the page: "We at Bendemeer area are not able to make calls."
A viewer, Gary, informed Channel NewsAsia at noon that his network had been down for around three hours and he was unable to call out using his mobile phone.
- CNA/cy/ek
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, May 15, 2014
M1 fibre broadband services disrupted
M1 fibre broadband services disrupted
PUBLISHED: MAY 14, 12:50 PMUPDATED: MAY 14, 1:15 PM
SINGAPORE — Some M1 fibre broadband customers today (May 14) experienced a disruption in service.
In a post on Facebook at about noon, M1 said customers may experience difficulties in accessing their fibre broadband services.
“We are currently rectifying the issue and apologise for the inconvenience. Update will be provided at the soonest possible time,” said the telco.
In an update to the post later, M1 said it noted no data traffic to its fixed network on one of the domain name servers and “immediately took action to redirect traffic and restore services to affected customers”.
“Services have since been fully restored and affected customers are advised to reset their optical network terminating (ONT) equipment,” said M1, apologising for the inconvenience.
Within 30 minutes of the initial post on Facebook, there were nearly 100 comments with many customers complaining that they were unable to reach the telco’s customer service hotline. Several also questioned why the telco took so long to post up notice, with one user saying Internet service was disrupted since 10.40am. Various users also said that M1 should have sent an SMS to alert them of the outage.
- wong chee tat :)
PUBLISHED: MAY 14, 12:50 PMUPDATED: MAY 14, 1:15 PM
SINGAPORE — Some M1 fibre broadband customers today (May 14) experienced a disruption in service.
In a post on Facebook at about noon, M1 said customers may experience difficulties in accessing their fibre broadband services.
“We are currently rectifying the issue and apologise for the inconvenience. Update will be provided at the soonest possible time,” said the telco.
In an update to the post later, M1 said it noted no data traffic to its fixed network on one of the domain name servers and “immediately took action to redirect traffic and restore services to affected customers”.
“Services have since been fully restored and affected customers are advised to reset their optical network terminating (ONT) equipment,” said M1, apologising for the inconvenience.
Within 30 minutes of the initial post on Facebook, there were nearly 100 comments with many customers complaining that they were unable to reach the telco’s customer service hotline. Several also questioned why the telco took so long to post up notice, with one user saying Internet service was disrupted since 10.40am. Various users also said that M1 should have sent an SMS to alert them of the outage.
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Enrol blackberry account fails!
I encountered this error on Blackberry 10 device when trying to enrol user's account to blackberry enterprise server (BES): "Your account - cannot be authenticated with your service provider. Please make sure the account settings are correct."
How to resolve?
1) First, make sure the there is no problem accessing to internet from the blackberry 10 device. Perform a simple google / yahoo/ bing search.
2) Check if the email password is correct. To check this, ask the user to login to webmail or MS Outlook (if is password protected).
If it still fails, even if the password is entered correctly, then try this:
3a) Delete the failed account.
3b) Wipe the Blackberry 10 device to its original state. Wiping to its original state allows you to start fresh.
3c) Then, test by using your account.
If you are able to access and the enrollment process is successful, you will get a message indicationg that Blackberry is activated or similar message.
3d) If your blackberry account is activated successfully. Then it is likely that user's password is incorrect. Ask user to login to webmail or MS Outlook again.
Then, try to activate the blackberry device for user. It should be successful.
Reference: http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/viewdocument.do?externalId=KB34177&sliceId=2&cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&noCount=true&ViewedDocsListHelper=com.kanisa.apps.common.BaseViewedDocsListHelperImp
- wong chee tat :)
How to resolve?
1) First, make sure the there is no problem accessing to internet from the blackberry 10 device. Perform a simple google / yahoo/ bing search.
2) Check if the email password is correct. To check this, ask the user to login to webmail or MS Outlook (if is password protected).
If it still fails, even if the password is entered correctly, then try this:
3a) Delete the failed account.
3b) Wipe the Blackberry 10 device to its original state. Wiping to its original state allows you to start fresh.
3c) Then, test by using your account.
If you are able to access and the enrollment process is successful, you will get a message indicationg that Blackberry is activated or similar message.
3d) If your blackberry account is activated successfully. Then it is likely that user's password is incorrect. Ask user to login to webmail or MS Outlook again.
Then, try to activate the blackberry device for user. It should be successful.
Reference: http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/viewdocument.do?externalId=KB34177&sliceId=2&cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&noCount=true&ViewedDocsListHelper=com.kanisa.apps.common.BaseViewedDocsListHelperImp
- wong chee tat :)
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Telcos, bank services affected by fire at SingTel facility
Telcos, bank services affected by fire at SingTel facility
POSTED: 09 Oct 2013 19:38
A fire at a SingTel facility on Wednesday affected various companies, including local telcos StarHub and M1 as well as DBS and OCBC banks.
SINGAPORE - A fire at a SingTel facility on Wednesday affected various companies, including local telcos StarHub and M1 as well as DBS and OCBC banks.
OCBC said that services at 11 ATMs were affected, in locations such as Changi Airport, Jurong Point, Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, while DBS advised its customers to avoid DBS/POSB branches at Toa Payoh Central, Bukit Panjang, Jurong Point, Woodlands and Raffles Place until SingTel restores network connectivity.
DBS Bank said that the fire, which took place at SingTel's Bukit Panjang exchange at about 2pm, "affected a small proportion of DBS/POSB branches, ATMs and AXS services".
"All customers are assured that their funds are safe and the bank is working closely with SingTel to restore services as soon as possible," said DBS Bank.
The bank tweeted that it is taking "proactive measures to minimise service disruptions and will extend operating hours of all DBS and POSB branches today by an hour".
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said in a statement that several operators have also reported to the IDA on the fire.
"The incident has affected fixed line telephone, broadband, cable TV and mobile services of several operators in the northern parts of Singapore. This may have also have affected services relying on such networks. IDA is currently investigating the issue," said a spokesperson.
StarHub said that the fire affected its cable and fibre services. "As we lease some SingTel optical fibre capacity that runs through this exchange, this has affected StarHub's cable TV, cable and fibre broadband, and digital voice services for some of our customers," said Mr Mock Pak Lum, StarHub's Chief Technology Officer.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and working to restore services as soon as we can," he said.
M1 said in a Facebook post that its fibre broadband services in the Bukit Panjang area have been impacted and that the waiting time at its Causeway Point M1 Shop is "significantly longer than usual as the systems there have been impacted by the fire at SingTel's Bukit Panjang exchange".
Others affected by the outage include the Singapore Turf Club and Singapore Pools.
At about 3.30pm, SingTel posted an update on its Facebook page, saying: "There has been a fire at our Bukit Panjang exchange and this may have affected some fixed line voice, broadband and mobile services."
According to posts on SingTel's Facebook page, users in the north-west region of Singapore such as Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands and Yew Tee started experiencing problems with their network services from around 2pm.
Woodlands resident, Ms Fidya Nurane, 19, said that her mioTV went blank at around 3pm. She added that she was unable to send out text messages to other SingTel users. Her wifi connection was still down as of 5.20pm.
An employee at a company located at Boon Keng said the Internet in her office was down starting from around 2pm. She added that workers were unable to connect to the company's network drive and that the data plan for SingTel mobile users was also affected.
Affected users are also saying that they are unable to get through the telco's 1688 helpline. SingTel has said that it is "working to restore services as soon as possible".
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that it received a call at 2.16pm to attend to the fire. The fire broke out at a cable room in level one of SingTel's Bukit Panjang Telephone Exchange building, located at 40 Woodlands Road. The fire was extinguished in 20 minutes by two water jets. No injuries were reported.
-TODAY/ir
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 09 Oct 2013 19:38
A fire at a SingTel facility on Wednesday affected various companies, including local telcos StarHub and M1 as well as DBS and OCBC banks.
SINGAPORE - A fire at a SingTel facility on Wednesday affected various companies, including local telcos StarHub and M1 as well as DBS and OCBC banks.
OCBC said that services at 11 ATMs were affected, in locations such as Changi Airport, Jurong Point, Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, while DBS advised its customers to avoid DBS/POSB branches at Toa Payoh Central, Bukit Panjang, Jurong Point, Woodlands and Raffles Place until SingTel restores network connectivity.
DBS Bank said that the fire, which took place at SingTel's Bukit Panjang exchange at about 2pm, "affected a small proportion of DBS/POSB branches, ATMs and AXS services".
"All customers are assured that their funds are safe and the bank is working closely with SingTel to restore services as soon as possible," said DBS Bank.
The bank tweeted that it is taking "proactive measures to minimise service disruptions and will extend operating hours of all DBS and POSB branches today by an hour".
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said in a statement that several operators have also reported to the IDA on the fire.
"The incident has affected fixed line telephone, broadband, cable TV and mobile services of several operators in the northern parts of Singapore. This may have also have affected services relying on such networks. IDA is currently investigating the issue," said a spokesperson.
StarHub said that the fire affected its cable and fibre services. "As we lease some SingTel optical fibre capacity that runs through this exchange, this has affected StarHub's cable TV, cable and fibre broadband, and digital voice services for some of our customers," said Mr Mock Pak Lum, StarHub's Chief Technology Officer.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and working to restore services as soon as we can," he said.
M1 said in a Facebook post that its fibre broadband services in the Bukit Panjang area have been impacted and that the waiting time at its Causeway Point M1 Shop is "significantly longer than usual as the systems there have been impacted by the fire at SingTel's Bukit Panjang exchange".
Others affected by the outage include the Singapore Turf Club and Singapore Pools.
At about 3.30pm, SingTel posted an update on its Facebook page, saying: "There has been a fire at our Bukit Panjang exchange and this may have affected some fixed line voice, broadband and mobile services."
According to posts on SingTel's Facebook page, users in the north-west region of Singapore such as Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands and Yew Tee started experiencing problems with their network services from around 2pm.
Woodlands resident, Ms Fidya Nurane, 19, said that her mioTV went blank at around 3pm. She added that she was unable to send out text messages to other SingTel users. Her wifi connection was still down as of 5.20pm.
An employee at a company located at Boon Keng said the Internet in her office was down starting from around 2pm. She added that workers were unable to connect to the company's network drive and that the data plan for SingTel mobile users was also affected.
Affected users are also saying that they are unable to get through the telco's 1688 helpline. SingTel has said that it is "working to restore services as soon as possible".
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that it received a call at 2.16pm to attend to the fire. The fire broke out at a cable room in level one of SingTel's Bukit Panjang Telephone Exchange building, located at 40 Woodlands Road. The fire was extinguished in 20 minutes by two water jets. No injuries were reported.
-TODAY/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Singapore banks have strong financial positions: MAS
Singapore banks have strong financial positions: MAS
POSTED: 16 Jul 2013 8:25 PM
Singaporean banks are not at risk, the city-state's central bank said on Tuesday after credit rating agency Moody's downgraded its outlook on local lenders to "negative".
SINGAPORE - Singaporean banks are not at risk, the city-state's central bank said on Tuesday after credit rating agency Moody's downgraded its outlook on local lenders to "negative".
The three home-grown banks have the highest average credit ratings among banking systems worldwide and hold adequate capital to weather financial stresses, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said.
It was reacting to an announcement by Moody's on Monday lowering its outlook for Singapore's three main banks to "negative" from "stable".
Moody's cited mounting domestic household debt and rising property prices in Singapore and in countries where the three banks are active.
It said these "have increased the probability of deterioration in the banks' credit profiles under potential adverse conditions in the future".
MAS said that while some borrowers are at risk, especially when interest rates rise as a result of a tightening of US monetary policy, "the local banks are not at risk".
"They undertake regular stress tests on their own as well as coordinated by the MAS, and have adequate buffers in place to cope with the inevitable upturn in the interest rate cycle," it added.
"The local banks continue to have strong financial positions by any serious assessment. As Moody's itself concluded, the local banks have enough capital to withstand even the severe stress test scenarios that it considered," Singapore's central bank said.
The three local banks -- DBS, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp and United Overseas Bank -- maintain capital levels well above the threshold required under new global banking rules known as Basel III, MAS said.
Moody's pointed to a tightening of US monetary policy as a "potential trigger" for Singapore and neighbouring countries also to raise interest rates, which would affect borrowers' ability to repay their loans.
Markets are closely watching testimony by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at the US Congress on Wednesday and Thursday for clues on monetary policy.
MAS said it has been monitoring the financial system closely, noting that it and other government agencies have also introduced pre-emptive measures against risks in the property market. These measures include tightening loan-to-value ratios for housing loans and setting up a total debt servicing ratio framework.
- CNA/AFP/ir
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 16 Jul 2013 8:25 PM
Singaporean banks are not at risk, the city-state's central bank said on Tuesday after credit rating agency Moody's downgraded its outlook on local lenders to "negative".
SINGAPORE - Singaporean banks are not at risk, the city-state's central bank said on Tuesday after credit rating agency Moody's downgraded its outlook on local lenders to "negative".
The three home-grown banks have the highest average credit ratings among banking systems worldwide and hold adequate capital to weather financial stresses, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said.
It was reacting to an announcement by Moody's on Monday lowering its outlook for Singapore's three main banks to "negative" from "stable".
Moody's cited mounting domestic household debt and rising property prices in Singapore and in countries where the three banks are active.
It said these "have increased the probability of deterioration in the banks' credit profiles under potential adverse conditions in the future".
MAS said that while some borrowers are at risk, especially when interest rates rise as a result of a tightening of US monetary policy, "the local banks are not at risk".
"They undertake regular stress tests on their own as well as coordinated by the MAS, and have adequate buffers in place to cope with the inevitable upturn in the interest rate cycle," it added.
"The local banks continue to have strong financial positions by any serious assessment. As Moody's itself concluded, the local banks have enough capital to withstand even the severe stress test scenarios that it considered," Singapore's central bank said.
The three local banks -- DBS, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp and United Overseas Bank -- maintain capital levels well above the threshold required under new global banking rules known as Basel III, MAS said.
Moody's pointed to a tightening of US monetary policy as a "potential trigger" for Singapore and neighbouring countries also to raise interest rates, which would affect borrowers' ability to repay their loans.
Markets are closely watching testimony by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at the US Congress on Wednesday and Thursday for clues on monetary policy.
MAS said it has been monitoring the financial system closely, noting that it and other government agencies have also introduced pre-emptive measures against risks in the property market. These measures include tightening loan-to-value ratios for housing loans and setting up a total debt servicing ratio framework.
- CNA/AFP/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, April 26, 2013
How to create a email archive for MS Outlook 2010?
How to create a email archive for MS Outlook 2010?
Actually, it is very simple:
1) From MS Outlook 2010, go to File --> Info --> Account Settings --> Account Settings
2) Under Account Settings, look for the 2nd tab and select Data Files.
3) To create a new email archive, select Add and enter the new name for the email archive (.pst)
4) Once created, you will see the archive created in MS Outlook 2010.
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Recall or replace an email message that you sent
The recall feature in Microsoft Outlook
tries to stop delivery and, optionally, replace an email message that
you have already sent to another Microsoft Exchange Server user within
your organization. Message recall is available after you click Send
and then realize that you forgot to attach a file, include information
in the message, or want to revise what was originally sent. You can’t
recall messages sent to email addresses outside your organization.
Note A Microsoft Exchange Server account is required.
In this article
Recall a message
To recall a message without sending a revised message, do the following:- In Mail, in the Navigation Pane, click Sent Items.
- Open the message that you want to recall.
- On the Message tab, in the Move group, click Actions, and then click Recall This Message.
- Click Delete unread copies of this message.
Note If you don’t see the Message tab, make sure that you have opened a sent message as described in steps 1 and 2.
I don't see the Recall This Message command
Note If you are sending the message to many people, you may want to clear the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
Top of PageRecall and replace a message
In addition to trying to recall a message, you can send a replacement message. For example, if you forgot to include an attachment, you can try to recall the message, and then send a replacement message that has the attachment. The original message is removed from the mailboxes of the recipients who have not yet opened it, and then is replaced with the updated message.To recall a message and then send a revised message, do the following:
- In Mail, in the Navigation Pane, click Sent Items.
- Open the message that you want to recall and replace.
- On the Message tab, in the Move group, click Actions, and then click Recall This Message.
- Click Delete unread copies and replace with a new message.
Note If you are sending the message to many people, you may want to clear the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
- Click OK, and then update the new message. You can also remove or add file attachments.
- Click Send.
Top of PageScenarios that affect recall success
The success or failure of a message recall depends on the recipients' settings in Outlook. In the following table, five scenarios are presented:- Four scenarios that explain what happens when message recall is tried in various situations
- One scenario that describes what happens when the recall of a message that was sent to a Microsoft Exchange public folder is tried
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
|
You send a message to someone. You recall the original message and replace it with a new one. On the recipient's computer, under Tracking, the Automatically process requests and responses to meeting requests and polls check box is selected. Note To view this setting, click the File tab. Under Outlook, click Options, click Mail, and then scroll to the Tracking section. |
Both the original message and the recall message are received in the recipient's Inbox. Assuming the original message has not been read, the original message is deleted and the recipient is informed that you, the sender, deleted the message from his or her mailbox. Note If the original message is marked as read (viewing in the Reading Pane is not reading in this scenario) when the recall message is processed, the recipient is informed that you, the sender, want to delete the message. However, the message remains in the recipient's Outlook folder. |
|
You send a message to someone. You recall the original message and replace it with a new one. On the recipient's computer, under Tracking, the Automatically process requests and responses to meeting requests and polls check box is not selected. Note To view this setting, click the File tab. Under Outlook, click Options, click Mail, and then scroll to the Tracking section. |
Both the original message and the recall message are received in the recipient's Inbox. On the recipient's computer, one of the following results occurs:
|
|
You send a message to someone. You recall the original message and replace it with a new one. On the recipient's computer, either by rule or by action of the recipient, the original message is moved out of the Inbox to another folder and the recall message remains in the Inbox (or it is moved to another folder also). |
If the recall message and the original message exist in
separate folders, the recipient receives a message that indicates a
recall attempt failed. This occurs regardless of the Outlook
configurations and the read status of the message. The original message and the new message are both available to the recipient. |
|
You send a message to someone. You recall the original message and replace it with a new one. On the recipient's computer, either by rule or by action of the recipient, both messages are moved to the same folder. This results in behavior similar to what occurs when Outlook is not configured to automatically process messages. |
On the recipient's computer, one of the following results occurs:
|
| You send a message to a public folder. You recall the original message and replace it with a new one. |
One of the following results occurs:
Notes
|
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
More cautious business outlook in 2013 than 2012: survey
More cautious business outlook in 2013 than 2012: survey
By Sylvia Paik | Posted: 07 January 2013 2051 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's business community is becoming more cautious of their business outlook in 2013 compared to 2012, based on a pre-budget survey by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) of 176 companies as part of their wish-list for the Singapore Budget in 2013.
In a statement, the SCCCI urged the government to implement more pro-enterprise measures. It said this is to help companies tide over a "highly probably global downturn" in 2013.
The SCCCI said Singapore's business community is looking for more assistance and financial support from the government to help their productivity drive.
They also wish for greater transparency and flexibility in manpower policies, so that companies can make plans ahead with greater certainty.
The SCCCI has urged the government to consider five recommendations.
This includes firstly, helping more enterprises to better leverage on the "Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme (PIC)", so that more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from higher cash payouts from the scheme.
Secondly, to provide greater transparency, flexibility and certainty in manpower policies.
Thirdly, to enhance grant and loan schemes to eligible companies.
Fourthly, to streamline application and reimbursement processes of grants.
Finally, to assist SMEs in overseas markets, especially in ASEAN countries and in China.
The SCCCI Pre-Budget 2013 Survey was conducted by the SCCCI over a three-week period from 5 December 2012.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
By Sylvia Paik | Posted: 07 January 2013 2051 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's business community is becoming more cautious of their business outlook in 2013 compared to 2012, based on a pre-budget survey by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) of 176 companies as part of their wish-list for the Singapore Budget in 2013.
In a statement, the SCCCI urged the government to implement more pro-enterprise measures. It said this is to help companies tide over a "highly probably global downturn" in 2013.
The SCCCI said Singapore's business community is looking for more assistance and financial support from the government to help their productivity drive.
They also wish for greater transparency and flexibility in manpower policies, so that companies can make plans ahead with greater certainty.
The SCCCI has urged the government to consider five recommendations.
This includes firstly, helping more enterprises to better leverage on the "Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme (PIC)", so that more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from higher cash payouts from the scheme.
Secondly, to provide greater transparency, flexibility and certainty in manpower policies.
Thirdly, to enhance grant and loan schemes to eligible companies.
Fourthly, to streamline application and reimbursement processes of grants.
Finally, to assist SMEs in overseas markets, especially in ASEAN countries and in China.
The SCCCI Pre-Budget 2013 Survey was conducted by the SCCCI over a three-week period from 5 December 2012.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Great balls of China to defend against 'apocalypse'
Great balls of China to defend against 'apocalypse'
Posted: 13 December 2012 1513 hrs
QIANTUN: As people across the globe tremble in anticipation of next week's supposed Mayan-predicted apocalypse, one Chinese villager says he may have just what humanity needs: tsunami-proof survival pods.
Camouflage-clad former farmer and furniture maker Liu Qiyuan, 45, inspected his latest creation, a sphere several metres tall he calls "Noah's Ark", designed to withstand towering tsunamis and devastating earthquakes.
"The pod won't have any problems even if there are 1,000-metre-high waves... it's like a ping pong ball, its skin may be thin, but it can withstand a lot of pressure," he told AFP at his workshop in Qiantun, an hour from Beijing.
Liu's seven completed or under-construction pods, made using a fibreglass casing over a steel frame, have cost him 300,000 yuan (approximately S$58,720) each, he says, and are equipped with oxygen tanks, food and water supplies.
They also come with seat belts, essential for staying safe in storms, Liu said, strapping himself into position before his assistants shook the sphere vigorously from outside.
"The pods are designed to carry 14 people at a time, but it's possible for 30 people to survive inside for at least two months," he said.
Their insulation was such that "a person could live for four months in the pod at the North or South Pole without freezing, or even feeling slightly cold," he said.
One of the spheres even boasts the domestic comforts of a table, bed and flowery wallpaper.
Liu claims he came up with the design after watching the 2009 Hollywood disaster film "2012", which is inspired by the expiry on December 21 of the Mayan Long Count, a more than 5,000 year calendar used by the ancient Central American civilisation.
"If there really is some kind of apocalypse, then you could say I've made a contribution to the survival of humanity," Liu said.
Apocalyptic predictions have provoked widespread fears among believers, including in China, where two rural counties sold out of candles this month after a panic that three days of darkness would begin on Dec 21, the Xinhua news agency reported.
A businessman in China's eastern Zhejiang province has received 21 orders for bright yellow doomsday survival pods also sold as "Noah's Ark," for five million yuan each, the state run China Daily reported.
A man from China's north-western province of Xinjiang told AFP that he has invested all his savings, approximately $160,000, to build a survival ark, fearing that his home will be engulfed in a doomsday flood.
Chinese authorities have sought to reassure citizens, with Beijing's police force publishing an online notice on Wednesday stating that "the so-called end of the world is a rumour", and advising citizens to use "scientific concepts".
Liu first conceived of spherical houses to withstand earthquakes, which occur frequently in China, but switched his focus to survival technology after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives.
Liu, who is married with a daughter, said many were sceptical when he first outlined his plans. But despite building them he has not sold any, and is worried about repaying loans he took from neighbours and friends to fund his workshop.
"I worked for many years without saving much money... I invested most of my money in the pods, because it's worth it, it's about saving lives" he said.
Keen to demonstrate the design's strength to AFP, he used a step-ladder to clamber inside one pod before an assistant reversed a pick-up truck into it, inflicting only a minor scratch on its surface.
Peeking out of the hatch, he grinned triumphantly.
"No problem," he said, "I didn't feel a thing.
-AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 13 December 2012 1513 hrs
QIANTUN: As people across the globe tremble in anticipation of next week's supposed Mayan-predicted apocalypse, one Chinese villager says he may have just what humanity needs: tsunami-proof survival pods.
Camouflage-clad former farmer and furniture maker Liu Qiyuan, 45, inspected his latest creation, a sphere several metres tall he calls "Noah's Ark", designed to withstand towering tsunamis and devastating earthquakes.
"The pod won't have any problems even if there are 1,000-metre-high waves... it's like a ping pong ball, its skin may be thin, but it can withstand a lot of pressure," he told AFP at his workshop in Qiantun, an hour from Beijing.
Liu's seven completed or under-construction pods, made using a fibreglass casing over a steel frame, have cost him 300,000 yuan (approximately S$58,720) each, he says, and are equipped with oxygen tanks, food and water supplies.
They also come with seat belts, essential for staying safe in storms, Liu said, strapping himself into position before his assistants shook the sphere vigorously from outside.
"The pods are designed to carry 14 people at a time, but it's possible for 30 people to survive inside for at least two months," he said.
Their insulation was such that "a person could live for four months in the pod at the North or South Pole without freezing, or even feeling slightly cold," he said.
One of the spheres even boasts the domestic comforts of a table, bed and flowery wallpaper.
Liu claims he came up with the design after watching the 2009 Hollywood disaster film "2012", which is inspired by the expiry on December 21 of the Mayan Long Count, a more than 5,000 year calendar used by the ancient Central American civilisation.
"If there really is some kind of apocalypse, then you could say I've made a contribution to the survival of humanity," Liu said.
Apocalyptic predictions have provoked widespread fears among believers, including in China, where two rural counties sold out of candles this month after a panic that three days of darkness would begin on Dec 21, the Xinhua news agency reported.
A businessman in China's eastern Zhejiang province has received 21 orders for bright yellow doomsday survival pods also sold as "Noah's Ark," for five million yuan each, the state run China Daily reported.
A man from China's north-western province of Xinjiang told AFP that he has invested all his savings, approximately $160,000, to build a survival ark, fearing that his home will be engulfed in a doomsday flood.
Chinese authorities have sought to reassure citizens, with Beijing's police force publishing an online notice on Wednesday stating that "the so-called end of the world is a rumour", and advising citizens to use "scientific concepts".
Liu first conceived of spherical houses to withstand earthquakes, which occur frequently in China, but switched his focus to survival technology after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives.
Liu, who is married with a daughter, said many were sceptical when he first outlined his plans. But despite building them he has not sold any, and is worried about repaying loans he took from neighbours and friends to fund his workshop.
"I worked for many years without saving much money... I invested most of my money in the pods, because it's worth it, it's about saving lives" he said.
Keen to demonstrate the design's strength to AFP, he used a step-ladder to clamber inside one pod before an assistant reversed a pick-up truck into it, inflicting only a minor scratch on its surface.
Peeking out of the hatch, he grinned triumphantly.
"No problem," he said, "I didn't feel a thing.
-AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Pay increment, bonus for 2013 expected to dip: report
Pay increment, bonus for 2013 expected to dip: report
By Imelda Saad, Dylan Loh | Posted: 10 December 2012 1702 hrs
SINGAPORE: Global consulting firm Hay Group has predicted cautious pay rises for Singaporean workers as 2012 comes to a close.
In its latest report, the group said pay increases and bonuses for next year are expected to slide.
Hay Group said salary increases averaged 4.6 per cent this year - slightly higher than the 4.4 per cent in 2011. But pay increases for next year are expected to dip 0.2 percentage points back to 4.4 per cent.
The Singapore Human Resources Institute agreed, saying increments will hover around 4 per cent.
The Institute expects the manufacturing, construction and logistics sectors to face a tighter squeeze.
The Institute's executive director, David Ang, said: "For those company who are not doing well, and it's sort of breaking even.
"I think the important thing is to inform the workers on the prospect of their business and at the same time collectively bite the bullets to hope for better times to come."
As for bonuses, the actual average variable bonus this year is said to be 2.6 months. For next year, it is expected to dip slightly to 2.5 months.
The Hay Group said hiring seems to have picked up in Singapore, despite the continuing uncertainty in the global economy.
Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they are planning to increase staffing levels, compared to 50 per cent this time, last year.
But economist Dr Tan Khay Boon from SIM Global Education said this does not mean firms will splurge on hiring.
Dr Tan said: "The company want to meet the demand for the customers and therefore they need more workers to help them out in the operations. But, they are also very careful about the bottom-line.
"That's why they prefer to hire the worker at the same cost or better still, at the lower cost instead of expanding the cost to get the workers."
Leading the hiring outlook in the survey are the engineering (33 per cent), sales (29 per cent) and financial (21 per cent) sectors.
Turning to the region, the Hay group said high-growth Asian economies like China, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines can expect significant pay rises in 2013.
The survey, conducted in September, covered over 500 Singapore-based companies from both the private and public sectors.
They were polled on their business sentiments and salary and bonus projections for the next 12 months.
- CNA/ck/lp
- wong chee tat :)
By Imelda Saad, Dylan Loh | Posted: 10 December 2012 1702 hrs
SINGAPORE: Global consulting firm Hay Group has predicted cautious pay rises for Singaporean workers as 2012 comes to a close.
In its latest report, the group said pay increases and bonuses for next year are expected to slide.
Hay Group said salary increases averaged 4.6 per cent this year - slightly higher than the 4.4 per cent in 2011. But pay increases for next year are expected to dip 0.2 percentage points back to 4.4 per cent.
The Singapore Human Resources Institute agreed, saying increments will hover around 4 per cent.
The Institute expects the manufacturing, construction and logistics sectors to face a tighter squeeze.
The Institute's executive director, David Ang, said: "For those company who are not doing well, and it's sort of breaking even.
"I think the important thing is to inform the workers on the prospect of their business and at the same time collectively bite the bullets to hope for better times to come."
As for bonuses, the actual average variable bonus this year is said to be 2.6 months. For next year, it is expected to dip slightly to 2.5 months.
The Hay Group said hiring seems to have picked up in Singapore, despite the continuing uncertainty in the global economy.
Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they are planning to increase staffing levels, compared to 50 per cent this time, last year.
But economist Dr Tan Khay Boon from SIM Global Education said this does not mean firms will splurge on hiring.
Dr Tan said: "The company want to meet the demand for the customers and therefore they need more workers to help them out in the operations. But, they are also very careful about the bottom-line.
"That's why they prefer to hire the worker at the same cost or better still, at the lower cost instead of expanding the cost to get the workers."
Leading the hiring outlook in the survey are the engineering (33 per cent), sales (29 per cent) and financial (21 per cent) sectors.
Turning to the region, the Hay group said high-growth Asian economies like China, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines can expect significant pay rises in 2013.
The survey, conducted in September, covered over 500 Singapore-based companies from both the private and public sectors.
They were polled on their business sentiments and salary and bonus projections for the next 12 months.
- CNA/ck/lp
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, November 26, 2012
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