31/10/2014

The Sun poked fun of Singapore President

S'poreans upset over 'joke' in British newspaper article about President Tony Tan

The Sun poked fun of President Tony Tan's height difference with Prince William, in a photo that showed all four individuals.

Speech bubbles had been added above both their heads. Prince William's one said, "Hello, I'm his Royal Highness," while the one above the President said, "… and I'm the Prime Miniature".

It was also written at the bottom of the photo, "Actually he's the president but that wouldn't have made a funny headline".

Asiaone: Singaporeans found the photo be an insult and many said that they did not find the supposed joke funny

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30/10/2014

NHB: Restoration of 3 National Monuments

3 national monuments to get a total of S$1.1m in grants for restoration works

Three ageing national monuments have been awarded grants to offset the cost of restoration works. 
The three are: Sultan Mosque, Nagore Dargah Indian Muslim Heritage Centre and Sri Mariamman Temple.

The mosque will receive S$1.02 million from the National Monuments Fund (NMF) this month, the heritage centre will get S$47,700 and the temple will receive S$55,780.

For Sultan Mosque, gazetted in 1975, the fund is the second largest approved tranche of funding since the NMF’s inception. The proposed works will also be the first time the near-century-old mosque in Kampong Glam will be restored since it was rebuilt in 1924 to 1928.

NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD TO CARRY OUT RESTORATION WORKS ON THREE NATIONAL MONUMENTS

The Sultan Mosque is receiving the largest grant totalling $1.02 million. It is the first major restoration project for the mosque which was completed in 1928 after 4 years of building. The mosque is also in dire need of restoration works as there are problems such as spalling concrete and deteriorating woodwork on all the windows and doors. Other additions which the new funds will see brought to the mosque include a lift for elderly worshippers and more water-saving features in the ablution areas.


The Nagore Dargah Indian Muslim Heritage Centre will be receiving $47,700 to address its damp problems. The centre will have to raise the remaining $5,300 for the repair costs.

The Sri Mariamman temple will also be receiving $55,780 to fix up structural issues which are becoming more and more apparent. Recently a large crack line was seen forming on a support column of the temple.

Masjid Sultan
Masjid Sultan (Jawi: مسجد سلطان ;Malay for Sultan Mosque; is located at Muscat Street and North Bridge Road within the Kampong Glam district of Rochor Planning Area in Singapore. The mosque is considered one of the most important mosques in Singapore. The prayer hall and domes highlight the mosque's star features.

When Singapore was ceded to the British in 1819, Temenggong Abdul Rahman, the island's chief, and Sultan Hussain Shah of Johore, under whose jurisdiction Singapore fell, acquired small fortunes in exchange for their power. Sir Stamford Raffles also granted the Temenggong and the Sultan an annual stipend and the use of Kampong Glam for their residence.

The area around Kampong Glam was also allocated for Malays and other Muslims. Hussain built a palace there and brought his family and a complete entourage from the Riau islands. Many of the Sultan's and Temenggong's followers came to Kampong Glam from the Riau Islands, Malacca and Sumatra. Sultan Hussain then decided to build a mosque befitting his status. He constructed a mosque next to his palace from 1824 to 1826 with funds solicited from the East India Company. With a two-tiered pyramidal roof, it was of a typical design. The original building was replaced with a new mosque.

Nagore Durgha
The Nagore Durgha (or Nagore Dargah) is a shrine in Singapore built by Muslims from southern India between 1828 and 1830, and was originally known as Shahul Hamid Dargha. When this shrine was first built, Telok Ayer Street where the shrine is located was a sandy beach crowded with sailing craft. While its physical surroundings have changed beyond recognition, the monument itself – save for conservation and preservation work in 2007 – has changed little since the late 19th century. It has a unique blend of Classical and Indian Muslim motifs.

Nagore Durgha was built to commemorate a visit to the island by a Muslim holy man of the Chulia people (Muslim merchants and moneylenders from India's Coromandel Coast), who was travelling around Southeast Asia spreading information about Indian Islam. The land on which the shrine stands was granted to a certain man named Kaderpillai in 1827 on condition that it was not to be used for a building of wood and attap.

In 1893, by an order of court, the Nagore Durgha property came under new trustees who were also appointed for the Masjid Al-Abrar. The building resembles a multi-tiered wedding cake, its sharp arches decorated with intricate moldings. The architectural features of the building blend classical motifs like moulded arches and columns with Indian Muslim elements such as perforated grilles at the roof. In 1974, it was gazetted a national monument. The shrine was closed in the 1990s due to fears that the structure would weaken. Restoration works to turn the shrine into an Indian Muslim heritage centre started in January 2007 and were due to be completed in the fourth quarter of the same year at a cost of S$1.8 million. President S. R. Nathan attended a fund-raising event organised by Indian Muslims on 3 December 2006; at that time, the community had raised $200,000.

Sri Mariamman Temple

The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamic temple, built in the Dravidian style. Located at 244 South Bridge Road, in the downtown Chinatown district, the temple serves the majority Hindu Singaporeans, Tamilians, in the city-state. Due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple has been gazetted a National Monument and is a major tourist attraction. Sri Mariamman Temple is managed by the Hindu Endowments Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.


The Sri Mariamman Temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, eight years after the East India Company established a trading settlement in Singapore. Pillai was a government clerk from Penang who arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles on his second visit to the island in May 1819. Pillai went on to set up the island's first construction company, and also entered the textile trade. He rapidly established himself in business and was identified as a leader of the Indian community.

Initially, the British authorities allotted land for a Hindu temple along Telok Ayer Street. This street ran alongside Telok Ayer Bay, where most early Asian immigrants first landed in Singapore, and where they went to pray and give thanks for a safe sea journey. The Thian Hock Keng and Nagore Durgha Shrine, respectively Singapore's earliest Chinese and Indian Muslim places of worship, are located there. However, Telok Ayer Street lacked a convenient source of fresh water which was needed for Hindu temple rituals.

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29/10/2014

Pioneer Generation Package


The Government has introduced the Pioneer Generation Package to honour and thank our pioneers for their hard work and dedication. They have made Singapore what it is today.

About 450,000 Singaporeans will benefit from the Pioneer Generation Package.

The package will help Pioneers with their healthcare costs for life.


Pioneer Generation Tribute

Our Singapore, the modern city which we are proud to call home, did not come without challenges and difficulties that our pioneers had to overcome. Our pioneers set Singapore on its path of development and transformed the lives of a whole population through their courage and resilience. We have achieved much in these 50 years of nation-building, and there is much for us to remember and learn from the values, spirit and shared aspirations of our Pioneer Generation, as we continue to chart our future ahead. SG50, beyond an occasion for celebrations, is also an opportune time for us to reflect together on our journey as a nation.

As we celebrate Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence in 2015, it is thus timely to honour and thank our Pioneer Generation for their sacrifices, achievements and immense contributions to Singapore.

It was in this spirit that SG50 held its first event - the Pioneer Generation Tribute - at the Istana on 9 February 2014. At the event, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the Pioneer Generation Package that will help the Pioneer Generation in defraying their healthcare costs.


Pioneer Generation Package for CHAS

From 1 Sep 2014, all pioneer generation will be placed on CHAS. For those who are already on CHAS, they will be able to enjoy additional subsidies from 1 Sep 2014.

The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) is a scheme by the Ministry of Health (MOH) that enables Singapore Citizens from lower- and middle-income households to receive subsidies for medical and dental care at participating General Practitioners (GPs) and dental clinics near their homes. Singapore Citizens who qualify for CHAS will receive an individual blue or orange Health Assist card. Health Assist cardholders will also enjoy subsidised referrals to Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) located at Public Hospitals or National Dental Centre when required.

For patients with chronic conditions, CHAS complements the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), which allows for Medisave to be used for outpatient treatment (for the same set of chronic conditions) covered under CHAS. Besides enjoying CHAS subsidies for treatment of their chronic conditions, patients can also tap on their Medisave to defray part of the cost of these treatments. The Medisave withdrawal limit is $400 per Medisave account, per year.


More than 100,000 seniors have started using their Pioneer Generation cards

More than 100,000 seniors have started using their Pioneer Generation cards at participating general practitioners (GPs) and dental clinics since the subsidies were rolled out in September. About 85,000 of them used their PG cards at the GPs, while another 24,000 used their cards to visit a dentist.

Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Amy Khor gave this update on the sidelines of a dialogue session on the healthcare financing framework on Thursday evening (Oct 30).

Dr Khor also explained that low and middle income pioneers, who are already receiving subsidies with the PG card, should renew their CHAS card in order to qualify for higher subsidies. The CHAS card (Community Health Assist Scheme) allows these Singaporeans to seek medical and dental care at subsidised rates from participating clinics.

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Pioneer Generation package helps ease inflation to 7-month low
Healthcare costs in September rose at the slowest pace in close to three years, due to enhanced medical subsidies including the Pioneer Generation Package. PHOTO: ST

HEALTHCARE costs in September rose at the slowest pace in close to three years, due to enhanced medical subsidies including the Pioneer Generation Package. While this helped to push last month's headline and core inflation readings lower than expected, economists warn that other cost pressures still remain.

Consumer price inflation eased again in September - falling to a seven-month low of 0.6 per cent - as drops in housing and transport costs offset higher food prices.

The median forecast of 20 economists polled by Bloomberg before the Department of Statistics released the data on Thursday was for a 0.9 per cent year-on-year rise in the consumer price index (CPI) - the same as August's inflation rate.

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Pioneer Singaporeans get discounts, priority, special offers at NTUC supermarkets, outlets
NTUC secretary general Lim Swee Say (fourth from left) speaks to members of the pioneer generation having bread and coffee at NTUC Foodfare food court in Ang Mo Kio hub on Oct 13, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN

Pioneer generation Singaporeans will get discounts and preferential treatment among other benefits at NTUC supermarkets, pharmacies, food courts and other NTUC-linked outlets from now until the end of next year.

The 15-month "Pioneers OK!" package, an initiative by the labour movement's social enterprise arm, was launched by NTUC secretary general Lim Swee Say on Monday at a ceremony at the Ang Mo Kio hub.

The package features discounts on Mondays, priority queues and seating, a discounted personal accident insurance plan, and classes to learn how to use devices such as smart phones and tablets.


NTUC rolls out discounts and perks for pioneers

NTUC secretary general Lim Swee Say (extreme left) takes a photograph of a group of pioneers having bread and coffee at NTUC Foodfare food court in Ang Mo Kio Hub on Oct 13, 2014

Mondays just got better for Ms Lim Sui Cheng, 66. The private tutor yesterday received a 3 per cent discount on her groceries at NTUC FairPrice, under a new scheme to honour Singapore’s pioneer generation aged 65 and older. Her meals at NTUC Foodfare foodcourts will cost her 12 per cent less every Monday, while purchases of medicine and other items at NTUC Unity pharmacies will have a 6.5 per cent discount.

These discounts are on top of priority queues and seats marked out for pioneers like Ms Lim at nearly 200 NTUC-linked supermarkets, pharmacies, foodcourts and other outlets in Singapore.

This “Pioneers OK!” package, by the labour movement’s social enterprise arm called NTUC Enterprise, will last till the end of next year.


Sweetener for 'Pioneer Generation' to buy votes for the PAP as election nears
The Star Online, 1 Mar 2014

Recently announced healthcare measures could be targeting senior votes, which are badly needed to offset declining support from young Singaporeans.


The generation most loyal to the ruling party – and now wavering a little – is being wooed like never before. The government, faced with the eroding support of young Singaporeans, has launched its biggest healthcare initiative for the elderly to date. The S$8bil (RM20.7bil) plan under Budget 2014, to be spread over a period of years, aims at subsidising part of the rising healthcare costs of people who are aged 65 and above.


The timing of the Pioneer Package comes two years before the general election is due. It is termed the “mother of all elections” by some analysts because it is likely to be the most hotly contested and crucial election in modern times. It is imperative for PAP’s future that the health measures bring in the senior votes, which are badly needed to offset the dropping support of young Singaporeans. “It is obvious that the ruling party wants to consolidate or win back the estimated half a million senior votes,” said a political analyst. 
A forumer said: “This is sheer naked vote buying.” Full story

related:

PGP - truckloads of profit for healthcare institutions and insurance companies
The $8 Billion Con Job

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Pioneer subsidies: Not all specialists are equal

AS A member of the pioneer generation, I was delighted when the Government announced a slew of benefits under the Pioneer Generation PackageLast month, I went to see my Community Health Assist Scheme-registered dentist and paid only $25 out of a $70 bill. I left the dentist feeling that old age has its perks after all, thanks to a caring government. Any retiree will confirm that a dollar saved is a dollar earned.

My joy, however, turned to frustration this month when I went for my regular eye check-up at the Singapore National Eye Centre, where I have been seeing a particular specialist since 2011.

This time, when I asked if I could use my Pioneer Generation card, the reply was a polite but firm "no". I was told that if I wanted the subsidy, I would have to "downgrade" and see a different specialist, or wait longer to see my specialist.


New office to explain PGP – is it necessary?

More than a year after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first announced that the government would be introducing the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP), a new Pioneer Generation Office (PGO) will be set up to help explain the scheme to those whom it hopes to benefit.

This also comes some 5 months after the news reported in April that the government “is undertaking the biggest public communications blitz in recent memory” to explain the PGP.

The PGO will include volunteers, described as “PG ambassadors”, who “will specialise in explaining details of the scheme”, reports the Sunday Times on 14 September.

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MOH: Pioneers must switch class to get SOC subsidies

As announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam during this year’s Budget, the Pioneer Generation Package includes additional subsidies for pioneers who are receiving subsidised services (“Pioneer subsidies: Not all specialists are equal” by Ms Pang Cheng Lian, last Wednesday; and “Scrap ‘different specialist rule’ ” by Mr Tommy Lee Kheng Huat, last Thursday).

Pioneers who are currently private patients, and who wish to enjoy the pioneer generation subsidies at Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs), can ask to switch to the subsidised SOCs.
“…no longer be able to choose their doctors after they switch…”
While they will no longer be able to choose their doctors after they switch, the specialists they are currently seeing may be part of the teams which take over their care. All subsidised patients, including our pioneers, can be assured that they will continue to receive quality care from our teams of health-care professionals.

These additional subsidies for pioneers are over and above the subsidies that are available at the subsidised SOCs, which were increased from 50 per centto 60 per cent and 70 per cent for middle- and lower-income Singaporeans respectively from Sept 1.


GOOD INTENTIONS THWARTED IN IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

As a member of the pioneer generation, I was delighted when the Government announced a slew of benefits under the Pioneer Generation Package.

Last month, I went to see my Community Health Assist Scheme-registered dentist and paid only $25 out of a $70 bill. I left the dentist feeling that old age has its perks after all, thanks to a caring government. Any retiree will confirm that a dollar saved is a dollar earned.

My joy, however, turned to frustration this month when I went for my regular eye check-up at the Singapore National Eye Centre, where I have been seeing a particular specialist since 2011.


NUH drags its feet when pioneer asks for PGP scheme

My father, my wife and I have been paying full rates to see an eye specialist at the National University Hospital (NUH) and I read in the newspapers that pioneers such as us can request a switch to the subsidised scheme.

When I made the request to the hospital on the phone, I was met with several hurdles. I was told to see the doctor personally or go to the hospital to fill in a form. I asked for the form to be posted to us, but this was refused. My experience is in stark contrast to the picture that has been painted.

Was it a communication breakdown between the Government and the NUH or were the staff just being unhelpful? If there are conditions to be met before we can switch to the subsidised scheme, the authority should make it clear, so that hopeful pioneers do not meet with disappointment later.

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Sharing the power of 老人卡/ Pioneer Generation Card
My Dad's first use

Total bill - $38.

Subsidy - 75% off $28.50

I pay - 25% $9.50

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Staff confusion muddles switch to pioneer scheme

I received a Health Ministry letter recently, about the Pioneer Generation benefits from Sept 1, and share the same frustration as voiced in the letter “Conditions for switch to pioneer scheme should be clarified” (Sept 13).

To enjoy the pioneer subsidy at specialist outpatient clinics, a private patient can contact the clinic for assistance to switch to subsidised care. So I went to the Singapore General Hospital on Friday.

At the pioneer scheme counter, I was given a Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) application form. Although I insisted that I was ineligible for CHAS, I was told I had to submit the application to enjoy the pioneer subsidy.

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Why some Pioneers are unhappy: Lack of clarity Delink Chas cards from Pioneer cards

Medical costs have gone up and so the government introduced the community health assist scheme (CHAS) for the lower and lower middle income group. Based on family income such Singaporeans are given an orange or a blue Chas card, blue more subsidy than orange.. Those carrying Chas cards are given a discount each time they visit their family doctor especially for chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are conditions attached depending on whether the case is simple or complex. So a blue Chas holder with say a simple one condition illness like high blood pressure can get an $80 subsidy per visit with a limit of $320 a year. Thus with 4 visits he would have used up his amount for the year. But it was still helpful for many. Complex cases get more subsidy and higher limit ,$120 per visit and $480 per year. My previous posting had a chart showing more details.

Many Chas holders belong to the Pioneer generation and there was full of high expectation on 1st September for this group because they were told of the benefits they are going to get when they receive the Pioneer card. It was all over the media and TV. So many postponed their clinic appointments to September to take advantage of the Pioneer card. Many clinics were packed on that September day with many pioneer generation patients. Pioneer card holders have higher subsidy per visit and higher limit of use per year than Chas card holders.

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Pioneer generation card overhyped – saved $3.20 only!

Pap gov even did a tranny tv ad to praise the PG card everyday. I thought it really will help the pioneer generation cope with the medical cost. But when I saw my mum’s medical bill for her regular checkup at poly clinic, I realize the card is overhyped.

Her medical bill is around $76. The PG card only gives her a miserable discount of $3.20, less than 5% discount. My mum told me the pg card only cover the consultation fee, not the prescription. So it is not a wonder card as what pinky had mentioned in the ndp rally.

If never cover medicine, what is the point of having this card? Another wayang kulit exercise?


THE SAD TRUTH ABOUT THE PIONEER GENERATION CARD

We have heard much and the hype on the Pioneer Generation card on the press and on TV that is used to help and thank our pioneers for their contributions by giving medical subsidiaries to the seniors. However is it really helpful, sincere and beneficial it just makes me wonder for now.

Based on 2 true accounts with my father, aged 68 and my father in-law aged 73, I take the Pioneer Generation card with a pinch of salt. My father who is a diabetes patient seeks medical consultation and follow-ups frequently, he noticed his routine checks-up per bill (same examination, same course) is around $37 each time, however just before the introduction of the Pioneer Generation senior card, his normal medical bill rose up to 100% to $74.

With this increased of his bill first and to every patient on the ground, then came the Pioneer Generation card kicked in for medical subsidiaries to the seniors. My father realized with the usage of the pioneer card now his bill returns to almost $37 again. Those who do not seek checks-up as frequent as my father, may not have noticed of the bill step up then the subsidiary (Pioneer card).

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SENIOR CITIZEN: I’M NOT BUYING THEIR PGP BULLSH*T!

The Sunday Times today carried the headline, “New Push to explain benefits for pioneers”. A new unit, the “Pioneer Generation Office” is being set up to coordinate and train “PG ambassadors”.

The unit which is funded by the Ministry of Finance but housed under the Peoples’ Association (PA) was revealed yesterday by PA Deputy Chairman Lim Swee Say on the sidelines of the aforesaid annual grassroots seminar.

There has been a phenomenal hard-sell on the PGP never seen before since its announcement in the 2014 budget review and I shall enumerate here the initiatives running up to the announcement yesterday of the set-up of the “Pioneer Generation Office”:


GOVT'S PIONEER GENERATION PACKAGE IS STINGY & FULL OF LITTLE CLAUSES TO STOP US FROM CLAIMING
Fellow pioneers I have spoken to recalled that when the package was first announced, it was declared that age would be the sole criterion for subsidies, since it was to honour pioneers for their past contributions. It was also announced that we would be subsidised even when consulting specialists at government hospitals.

Now, we are told that not all specialists are equal. At the National Skin Centre, I was told I would qualify for subsidies only if I had been referred by a polyclinic, was seeing a specialist on the second floor (my specialist was located on the third floor), and was prepared to wait for a longer time for my appointment.

Singaporeans have been urged to feel with their hearts and think with their heads. My heart welcomes the good intentions behind the pioneer package, but my head cannot understand why the good intentions are being thwarted in the implementation process. Can we be more gracious in honouring our pioneers?

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Full Coverage:
PGP Appeals Panel: We wont consider applicants who miss the age cut-off

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Support for the Needy and Elderly: 450,000 seniors eligible for Pioneer Generation Package
Mr Lee was speaking to about 1,500 Singaporeans who were invited to the Pioneer Generation Tribute Party at the Istana on Sunday morning

Mr Lee said the package will focus on healthcare benefits as the subject is at the top of the minds of older Singaporeans. He said the package will give extra financial support in three important areas.

The premiums for MediShield Life will be lower than that of MediShield for the pioneer generation, and the sums are being worked out. For outpatient treatment, they will enjoy extra subsidies at polyclinics, specialist outpatient clinics and general practitioners (GPs) under the Community Health Assist Scheme. They will also get annual top-ups to their Medisave accounts, which can help pay for MediShield Life premiums.

28/10/2014

Durian Fraud: 10 Tricks That May Deceive You

Indonesian Thornless Durian

S$188 for 3 Durians: Virgin Durian Buyer gets “Chopped” by Door-to-Door Durian Seller

38-year-old customer service officer, Ms Ho, had never bought durians before in her life. But when a door-to-door durian seller dropped by her flat in Marine Parade one evening, she thought “just buy lah” since it was her birthday and her brother was coming over for dinner and she knew that he and her parents loved eating durians. The durian seller opened one of the durians and let Ms Ho sample the goods, and she found that it tasted pretty food, so she took her pick from the durians on sale. The 3 durians Ms Ho chose were weighed in front of her and showed “19” on the scale, leading Ms Ho to believe that the durians weighed 19 kilograms. She was charged S$285, but managed to bargain the price down to S$188.

Ms Ho was happy with her purchase, until she talked about it to her brother later that evening and he told her that durians weigh at most about 2kg each, and so 3 durians shouldn’t weigh more than 10kg in total. “I never bought durians before, so I wasn’t sure about the weight. When I heard ‘19kg’ I got a shock, but the man didn’t look suspicious and I even managed to bargain with him.”

Ms Ho says that the ‘19’ number on the scale could mean “pounds” instead of “kg” as there wasn’t any indication on the scale. She believes she has been cheated and wants to warn other durian lovers to beware of such “scammers”.

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Resident pressured at her doorstep to buy six durians for $385
A Facebook post about a durian scam posted by Eugene Lau has gone viral on the internet

In his post, Mr Lau wrote that durian sellers went to his place and offered his wife some durians, which costs $15 per durian, claiming that it was of Mao Shan Wang (MSW) quality.

In an interview with TOC, Mr Lau said that the incident happened at around 7pm on 4 May at his place in Boon Keng.

He said that the two durian sellers, both male, told his domestic worker and Mrs Lau that they're visiting his estate again to revisit existing customers. Mr Lau said that the men told his wife that they were from Malaysia.

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Door to door durian seller “sells” durians for $50
A reader wrote in via facebook to us on an incident he experienced at his HDB flat located at Bukit Panjang

"Recently there are these durian scams going around which i had experienced personally just yesterday night (Thursday) at the doorstep of my HDB flat. The seller was a Malaysian Chinese will keep insisting that you try first and no obligations to buy.

Then he will proceed to open the durians. After trying he will quote a price like $150 for 3 durians. When you refuse, he will not leave and insists that you buy at least the opened durian which costs $50 dollars. the seller was really insistent and refused to leave until i made call to police."

When the reader then called the police to inform them of the person peddling at his door and demanding to be paid an extravagant sum of money for the durians. When police call operator took up the phone, he told the operator that they will not get the guy if they come now as he had already ran off. She then took down his name and number and hung up immediately, which he assume to be dispatching the police to go after the man.

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Buying a Bad Fruit

"There are three people you should never trust: Used car salesmen, lawyers, and durian vendors," joked Leslie Tay of Singapore's most popular foodie blog, ieatishootipost. We were sitting at one of his preferred durian stalls while I told him about our disappointing evening at Singapore's most famous durian hotspot: Sims Avenue in the Geylang District, also known as "Durian Street."

We had been warned about the Geylang durian crooks, but I was still incredulous as I described to Mr. Tay and his friend how a vendor earnestly tried to sell us a large Thai fruit under the name and price of "Musang King," the most expensive and prized durian on the market which sells for as much as 5 times the price of a Thai durian. This is an example of Durian Fraud, when durians are sold to customers illicitly, ripping the customer off through deceit or even causing sickness due to harmful chemicals (no joke!)

I've actually taken the definition for durian fraud almost word-for-word from Wikipedia's explanation of wine fraud. I just switched the word "wine" for "durian" because it's exactly the same concept. I guess durian culture is even more similar to the wine scene than I had imagined! During our travels, Rob and I came across many different techniques used by vendors hoping to pass off their hard-to-sell durian


Trick #1: Overcharging Durians
Trick #2: Lying About Durian Variety
Trick #3: Whittling The Stem
Trick #4: Adding Odor
Trick #5: Artificial Ripening
Trick #6: Rigging The Scale
Trick #7: Hiding The Open Side
Trick #8: The Switch
Trick #9: Hiding Defects
Trick # 10: Nailing it Shut

related: How to Identify Musang King and D24

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DURIANS SOAKED IN TOXIC DYE TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS & LOOK?

All durian lovers should know this.

Soaking durians in a chemical dye which will seep through to make the flesh very inviting.

Look like this dubious and very toxic chemicals to preserve the freshness and appearance of the fruits.

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Satirical S’pore website wrote an article about durians being haram, people believed it

A good rule of thumb when browsing news on the Internet is, if you think the news is too good/ wacky/ incredible/ (insert adjective here) to be true, it probably is.

Local satirical website Mufti News recently published an article, “Grand Mufti declares durians haram“, on how durians had been declared haram by the Grand Mufti (a Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters) of the “International Islamic School of the Leap of Faith”

The piece was inspired by complaints made over a durian eating competition held during the month of Ramadan.

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GRAND MUFTI DECLARES DURIAN HARAM

Peace was shattered over the weekend at Jurong Mall in the small country of Singapore when Singaporean Muslims found out of the injustice being served as local fruit store Fig Fox held an all you can eat Durian Event during the holy month of Ramadan.

Disgruntled Muslims from Singapore took to facebook taking umbrage to the event feeling like the company had purposely organised this event to test their faith and tempting them away from the sunnah.

While Fig Fox already stated that there was an evening all you can buffet from 6pm to 8pm, they were still relentlessly hounded by hordes of unmuslim like demands to have the buffet from 7pm to 9pm.

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related:
Hail the King of Fruits
The King of Fruits in Space
A Rotting Durian Fruit Smelled So Bad
Wild Durians From East Malaysia - Sabah & Sarawak‏