The earthquake that struck Sabah on the 5th of June destroyed parts of the Timpohon trail that lead up to the Mount Kinabalu summit. In fact, the earthquake left behind a significant amount of destruction that rendered a lot of villagers homeless and without clean water.

Despite the circumstance, after nine weeks of rebuilding the damaged trails and examining the rocks and soil, Mount Kinabalu finally reopened for a trail test over the weekend.

Image Credit: The Star

88 climbers—mostly the Sabah Parks staff, mountain rangers, mountain guides and members of the media—made their way up Mount Kinabalu on Saturday to commemorate the occasion by walking up an improved route that replaced the previous trails.

The experimental climb took the climbers from the base of Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata around KM6 or 3,272m of the 4,095m mountain and according to State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, it was also noted that most of the previous trail was retained, apart from certain parts that were damaged by the Earthquake.

According to the post on Amazing Borneo’s Facebook Page, the minister said, “We have repaired the damaged routes and built new paths where necessary. This may not be the final trail but whatever we end up with will likely be more challenging than the previous route.”

Also Read: How This Father’s Actions Warmed Netizen’s Hearts And Led Him To Receive A Car Donation

A lot of work was put in to patch up the damaged paths that were caused by falling trees to ensure the safety of the climbers.

Despite this, according to The Star, climbers were made aware that they were supposed to return back to Timpohon Gate by 2pm for the sake of safety. That being said, most climbers found that the climb was considerably smooth, especially within the first 1000m of the trail that was left affected by the Earthquake.

Many couldn’t complete the trail within the allocated time but the ones that did assured the rest of the trail’s safety.

Given the Minister’s optimism, the climbing size that will be allowed to hike the final trail will be limited to a group of less than 100 people (half of its previous capacity) once it’s reopened. And overnight stays won’t be allowed at Laban Rata either—especially during the early stages.

Image Credit: Amazing Borneo

While the test-climb is definitely a sign of progress, Sabah Parks still need to carve out a new trail from Laban Rata to the summit and to ensure that the mountain is re opened by the deadline.

According to The Star, a technical meeting would be held on the 11th of August and the ministry and Sabah Parks will decide on a suitable date to commence further repairs.

Sabah Parks Director, Dr Jamili Nais also claims to have engaged the expertise of mountain experts from Canada, Italy, Spain and Japan to recommend the necessary action and the next step will be decided based on their reports and recommendations.

According to him, they also received plenty of inquires from enthusiastic climbers regarding when the climb would be open and they’d be happy to note that the Mount Kinabalu Trail is expected to be open for visitors on the 1st of September 2015—although for now, climbers can only trek up to the Laban Rata Resthouse.

Also Read: Malaysia Gets Their Very Own Gag Page, And It’s About Darn Time

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, there are many important decisions that you will need to make while your company is young: what the leadership structure will look like, what kind of equity shares people will get, when to start raising capital, etc.

And if you want your startup to get up and running, there is one decision you must be maniacal about in order to gain any momentum: your target market. Whether your idea is in its infancy, or your product is ready for primetime, selecting your market is essential before you begin selling.

Image Credit: BBC

Starting Small

Much has been written about competitive corporate strategy, but I believe that target audience size is not a choice for start-ups, because all businesses should start small until they get enough traction to think bigger.

My company, HubSpot, started small, and originally aimed to help a few businesses build their customer base through inbound marketing. Since then, we’ve grown to service diverse industries and thousands of customers around the world. Our customer base has expanded so radically that we are about to open our fifth office, this time here in Singapore, to better serve this burgeoning market of startups.

There are two kinds of businesses in the world…

When looking at other businesses, you might have noticed the two different ways they market themselves to audiences: some have many customers, while others have very few.

Companies with many customers use what is known as a “horizontal” strategy — this includes businesses like Google, which has over one billion unique monthly users. Their target market includes anybody on earth who has a question and needs an answer. Imagine trying to compete with Google — might be kind of hard, right?

Their Singapore office is also pretty hard to beat. (Image Credit: humanresourcesonline.net)

The opposite strategy is “vertical”, and targets a very small number of customers. The Singapore-based startup and VIP planning app NOX, for example, targets an affluent, nightlife-loving crowd. Because only a select demographic would be considered potential customers, NOX employs a tried-and-true vertical strategy. Fewer customers means less competition, which means a better market share for your business.

Plenty of people do it well

Precise targeting is important, and there are plenty of startups who do it remarkably well. Look at Yumcious, which gives any Malaysian with a knack for cooking the opportunity to sell meals to vendors for profit; or Petsodia, which created an app for Singaporean and Malaysian travellers who need someone to care for their pets. The Singapore startup HERO caters to active people looking for fitness classes but don’t want to pay for a gym membership. All these companies target specific groups in geographically defined areas, limiting the number of potential customers to maximise the value they deliver.

The reality is, even the greatest of companies start small. Imagine Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room, thinking about his initial audience: his peers at Harvard.

The importance of a strong start

Starting a business is really, really difficult. You have to convince the world your product or service is worth buying (which is no easy feat), and while targeting a broad audience may seem like an easy workaround, I promise you, it’s a trap!

But if you are maniacal in planning and then choosing a focused target market, you are setting yourself up for success — and with success comes plenty of opportunities for future growth. In almost all cases, self-funded entrepreneurs should pursue smaller, addressable markets. The smaller your target market, the better your chances of success.

This article was submitted via Vulcan Post’s submission page by Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, the leading marketing and sales software company. HubSpot is currently looking for remarkable individuals for its new regional headquarters in Singapore, which will open in Q4 of 2015.

Also Read: Singapore Startup HERO And The Rise Of The Sports Community

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

They say a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and soul of its people. What a colourful culture we have then, with politicians, cheaterbugs, bloggers, entertainers and more making the news through the years. As SG50 draws to a close, we put together some of the most interesting and prominent fellows we’ve met along the way, and catch up to see what they’re doing at the moment.

Tin Pei Ling

Image Credit: Tin Pei Ling Facebook

Claim to fame: 2011 was a tough year for the lady; young and naive are the worst traits to have for a wannabe politician. Of course people are going to scrutinise you on social media — something she did not foresee. She got picked on for her love for Kate Spade bags and her zest to find the resident littering sanitary pads, and then the late Lee Kuan Yew had to walk out just as she stood to speak in Parliament.

Where she is now: She just “popped” a baby boy, will be running in the upcoming General Elections, and views on her are generally favourable…it seems almost like a movie script.

Jover Chew

Image Credit: news.asiaone.com

Claim to fame: Business as usual, Jover scammed a Vietnamese tourist into paying an exorbitant amount for an iPhone 6. This time, the entire incident was caught on video — Jover being an ass, and the Vietnamese on his knees begging — and went viral. He even got pizza ordered to his home by Internet vigilantes SMRT Ltd (Feedback); not everyone can brag about that.

Where he is now: In a really bad place, actually. He’s faced with 26 charges including cheating and criminal intimidation, his wife has divorced him, he’s been unemployed since the incident blew up. Tough love.

Ris Low

Claim to fame: For her intelligence! Not. She was crowned Miss Singapore World in 2009, but what made her famous (or infamous) was an interview which showcased her wit and eloquence. Sadly, she had to give up her crown after her credit card frauds were revealed. A rogue beauty queen? People love that shit.

Where she is now: After a series of publicity stunts, short employment stints, and a pending movie, she seems to be keeping it on the down low. She still blogs though — any coder out there who wants to teach her some HTML?

Roy Ngerng

Claim to fame: He was found guilty of defaming Lee Hsien Loong, and was ranked by Yahoo! as Top Newsmaker of 2014. He later took part in some draggy, and at times cringey court proceedings earlier this year, which was widely publicised by the media.

Where he is now: He has reportedly applied to join the Reform Party (RP) to run in the upcoming General Elections, stating on his blog, “I want to be able to enter government, to debate about these issues and allow policies to be passed to protect Singaporeans.”

Amos Yee

Image Credit: Amos Yee Facebook

Claim to fame: Do we need to say more? Suddenly awakening the sleepy dragon, this young boy got the whole nation and even the international community talking and debating. He became part of a bizarre trial that saw him spend four weeks in jail, much to the protest of various human rights groups worldwide.

Where he is now: According to his lawyer, Alfred Dodwell, the teen has agreed to go for counselling and is ready to ‘cooperate’. He also did his part to contribute to the SG50 celebrations with three new videos: how National Day sucks, how National Day songs suck, and a response to his haters. He also tagged along on Reform Party’s walkabout. This dude is on a roll.

Nicole Seah

Image Credit: kindness.sg

Claim to fame: The foil to Tin Pei Ling, Nicole Seah was the youngest politician, representing the National Solidarity Party (NSP) in the 2011 General Elections — she was 24 then. While Tin was young and naive, Seah was composed and poised.

Where she is now: She left the NSP in 2014, moved to Bangkok to focus on her advertising career, and had a role in the historical film 1965. She’s doing fine. We’re not so sure about her ‘replacement‘, though.

Sun Ho

Image Credit: YouTube

Claim to fame: Lady boss at mega-church, aka Christian evangelist, and co-founder (and pastor) at City Harvest Church. She was allegedly involved in misusing church funds to boost her pop career. Also responsible for the phooey that is China Wine.

Where she is now: Still awaiting the verdict of the trial, but she’s stopped singing. For now.

Serina Wee

Image Credit: The Straits Times

Claim to fame: Bringing the fashion show to the courts during the City Harvest Church trial. Oh yeah, she was also the former CHC finance manager, meaning that she has a lot of secrets. That’s why her hair is so big.

Where she is now: If you enjoyed her sartorial choices, well, you can find them on…her very own blogshop Missy Stella, which she set up with a longtime friend. The lady’s entrepreneurial through and through.

Hady Mirza

Image Credit: news.asiaone.com

Claim to fame: Won the second edition of Singapore Idol, and then became the world’s first Asian Idol.

Where he is now: Found a new calling — religion. Co-founded an organisation, FHRM Youth, that promotes Muslim education and a way of life among young Muslims. He also got married last year. Looks like the songbird has settled down.

PM Lee

Image Credit: Lee Hsien Loong Facebook (Photo by Terence Tan)

Claim to fame: It was quite the notable 2015 for our PM: he had to deal with the death of his legendary father, took a blogger to court, told us about ‘natural aristocracy’, and got introspective about Singapore’s problems in the future. A bittersweet year.

Where he is now: Still the Prime Minister. Also, seemed to enjoy the National Day Parade.

Also Read: Pokka Singapore’s SG50 Campaign Will Make Saying Thank You A Less Awkward Affair

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

“Ma, are you ready to retire?” I asked my mother after dinner.

I was met with silence. The television played on with its SG50 ads blaring in my face. “Singapore only 50 years old, still so young,” she said. I held her hand and began to assure her that things were going to be all right.

My mother is a hard worker. She brought us up on a diet of hard work and sacrifice. Life in Singapore will always be about the hustle, she says. Putting all of us through school and making sure to have enough for the household, Mother is always telling me to think ahead, to prepare for the future, and to be ready for old age — and I began to wonder if one day I would do the same to my children.

Image Credit: eranewprojectlaunch.wordpress.com

Older, Wiser

Times were different then. I understood this very well. In the 80’s, Singapore’s technological journey was still in early days. The 90’s saw the convergence of information technology with telecommunications, which transformed the workplace and everyday life in the country. And though it might be hard to imagine how life was without the Internet and advanced technology, our forefathers are testament to those days.

Independence, nation-building, social and welfare campaigns — they’ve gone through it all. It wasn’t all rosy and breezy in the early days of young Singapore; often, the people had to fight for what was best for them. Our parents were products of this generation, and by the time it was their turn, most of the wars and battles had already been fought. Globalisation and rising affluence have exposed us to more opportunities. Our parents and grandparents have cleared all the obstacles for us to succeed.

We fight a different sort of battle now.

These days, we often take Singapore for granted. We live and breathe the buses that go on schedule, the drink orders taken for us at a coffeeshop, the bustle in the household on Saturday mornings, the lifts that take us up and down to the ground in our box-like HDB flats — it’s so in-built to our daily routine that sometimes we forget. We forget that not everything revolves around us.

Image Credit: Remember Singapore

Old School Of Hard Knocks

But I know now. I know from when I lost my father, and had to be the sole caretaker of my mother. She was still working then, but I, along with my sister, were her pillars of support. I knew that one day Mother was going to retire, and I wanted her to know that life would not — and should not — be over for her with retirement.

When I was younger and had just entered the workforce, my mother nagged often about the importance of CPF. About how it would help us in buying a house, pay the hospital and medical bills, and prepare us for the dreaded R word — Retirement.

“I’m not even going to get married or fall sick soon Mom!” I used to retort.

Image Credit: Central Provident Fund

The Future Is Ours To Make

It’s no secret we’re all part of an ageing population. It’s both good news and bad news — a mixture of high life expectancy rates and a shrinking ageing workforce. As more hit the retirement age, I find it funny and a little ironic how the tables have turned. It is me now who worries for my mother. Will retirement suit her? Do I have to be the main provider for the family? How much does she have in savings? Is her CPF payout adequate? And most importantly, will she be fine?

With a mixture of good intention, guilt, and uneasiness, I assured my mom that with a good track record of employment and her savvy money-saving skills, she should be eligible for CPF LIFE. This would give her a monthly payout from retirement age. I knew that I was eventually going to have this talk with her, but I did not know why it made me so nervous.

She read through the website I had open for her — the R Chat Campaign initiated by CPF to assist in retirement planning — with her bifocal glasses, drumming her fingers softly on the coffee table and taking in all the information. It was a well thought-out and resourceful site, one that I did my research on before deciding to talk to my mother about it. From CPF contribution calculators to life events and milestones, it was comprehensive, and a reminder that it is important to plan for the future.

An audible ‘hmm’ and sigh later, she turned to me and said, “Boy, don’t worry about me. I’m ready, I’ve spent the last few decades preparing myself.” 

I was in awe. I realised now that me worrying about her future was a projection of what it’ll be like when my time came. Would I be ready, and as calm as her? I would like that very much. Is it too early to plan for retirement? According to the R Chat campaign, it’s not. I guess I should get started.

Interrupting my train of thought, my mother called out to me. I looked over at her. Slightly frail, but strong. The wrinkles now more pronounced than ever, but she still insists on her monthly salon treatments. Shifting in her seat in front of the now muted television, she said, “ I’m glad we had this talk. Come, let’s make some tea.”

Also Read: My Grandfather Quit His Job To Avoid Using The Computer — Now He Has An iPad

Shortly after we covered on Dah Makan, another food delivery startup grabbed our attention: EatSeize.

“One of the common problem we had was ‘where to eat? what to eat? ’. Even if we had gone past that wall, we would have limited choices of food around the area.” This, in gist, prompted Iskandar Mohd, a former working profession from the corporate world, and Siti Nadiah who holds a Masters Degree in Food Science, to come up with EatSeize.

Starting their operation two months ago, EatSeize presents you with healthy meals focusing on delivering convenience, nutrition and taste in every meal.

Seizing Opportunities

The name EatSeize is derived from their mantra – Eat, Compete, Succeed, explained Iskandar. The team decided to go with seize instead of other similar words because they are aiming to target the health conscious and fitness consumers. “We want to tap into the working professionals where this word is commonly used and understood; seizing opportunities,” Iskandar added.

One interesting fact about Iskandar the founder is that he did not study in a culinary arts school and neither does he have any F&B experience. “It all began from my passion in cooking in which I gradually learnt from various avenues over the years. I believe in trial and error because it’s fun to finally cook something nice over a few failures,” shared by Iskandar.

Also Read: Yumcious Wants To Help Home Chefs Earn A Staggering RM10k A Month—Here’s How

Halal Food For Muslims

EatSeize serves around 200 meals to customers on a weekly basis since they first started. “Words spread real quickly and with our presence on social media, acquiring new customers are clicks and taps away,” described Iskandar.

EatSeize is not merely a healthy food delivery startup, they are also a proven halal food startup. “We only source from halal suppliers and being Muslims ourselves, we hope to be able to serve everyone our meals, worry-free,” he said.

Garlic Bread Chicken by EatSeize.

The team in EatSeize have gotten many positive feedback from customers and things are going in the right direction. In the coming months Iskandar told us that foodies can expect contests, campaigns and even charity as part of their marketing efforts. Right now the team is in talks with a few orphanage houses and charity partners to share their experience and food with them.

“Nothing excites us more than seeing people happy. We believe in contributing to the unfortunates as part of being good Muslims and in businesses, we should not only aim to earn profits and growth but also to share. I have done a few in the past even before the inception of EatSeize and trust me, their curiosity and surprise of seeing food they have yet tasted nor seen in life is just mind blowing.”

The meals from EatSeize range from RM13-RM18 depending on the menu, that is inclusive of delivery charges within their covered territories.

On The Quest To Excite Their Customer Every Friday

In order to keep their customers excited, EatSeize changes their menu weekly so that customers can enjoy different meals each day. Recently they started the Surprise Friday concept, whereby every Friday they serve a surprise meal, which often have their regulars excited with anticipation. Iskandar shared, “After a long tiring week, every Friday is a surprise to entice and excite our customers.”

“We are coming to our 3rd surprise meal and so far it is well received. Of course we try to stay away from rare ingredients such as beef and non-popular ingredients, but our approach is rather the way it is prepared.” Their first surprise was Ayam Kampung with Watermelon & Feta Cheese Salad’ and ‘Tandoori Chicken with Couscous’.

Big Ambitions And Future Plans

Take a big step forward, one of the plans for EatSeize to move forward includes creating an EatSeize mobile app when the team has a steady and substantial growth to provide a much better user experience.

Iskandar said, “We want to hasten the process plans, thus extending our territories and perhaps to also offer healthy drinks to our customers so what they receive on the table is all they need to stay energized throughout the day. By then, we will be the Domino’s for healthy food.”

Also Read: These 12 Cafés In Klang Valley With Free WiFi And Power Sockets Are Professional Nomads’ Best Bet

All images used are from EatSeize.

Have you ever been to a cinema and thought to yourself, “Man, I wish I had a cinema like this right at home for movies and gaming?”

While you won’t be able to move an entire cinema into your house, what you can do is try to replicate and enhance the experience right in your living area.

Home theatre equipment, furniture and decor could easily add up to tens of thousands of ringgit and you can’t just settle for cheap stuff either as the quality might just bug you enough to distract you from the movie. But just because I can’t afford it, doesn’t mean you can’t.

Here’s a list of the 5 must-haves for the ultimate home theatre experience.

1. OSIM uMagic Massage Chair

Adapted from http://www.missuschewy.com

No one would be able to fully enjoy a movie standing up but if you’re gonna sit down, why not sit down with style and comfort? And the OSIM uMAGIC massage chair can offer you just that.

No one can enjoy a movie while they are feeling tense and pressured, fortunately, the OSIM uMagic has massage movements that are similar to an actual skilled masseur. You’d think that there is someone actually massaging you with the right amount of finger pressure and grip—perfect after a long day of work so you can chill in your home theatre.

Only drawback is it might be so comfortable that you’d fall asleep, but don’t worry, we won’t blame you for that.

To experience the tailored programs that are installed in the massage chair—such as ‘Chill Out’, ‘Lumbar Care’ and ‘Sports Recovery’—you have to pay close to RM14,000.

2. LG OLED TV

If you ever thought that there can never be a more beautiful imagery given by today’s Full HD LED TVs, LG will prove your thoughts wrong with their OLED TVs. If you want to have the ultimate cinema experience, this TV might just be your best bet. The LG 55EC93OT OLED TV is a 55-inch curved TV with a screen that will bring movies come to life.

Curved TV screens are no gimmick, it is a well known fact that hemispherical screens, such as the IMAX dome screen used in theatres, provide an image large enough to fill your field of vision; thus providing an enhanced feeling of immersion and motion (now you know why you have to pay more to watch a movie in an IMAX theatre).

OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, in which the material responsible for emitting light is a film of organic compound. When used for a TV, it does not require backlight like most other TVs which allows it to reach a deeper dark colour and higher contrast compared to LED TVs.

In a cinema, the lights are switched off so that there is no lighting distractions and your eyes can adjust to what’s being shown on the screen. With an OLED TV, however, because the screen itself is already a perfect black, switching off the lights isn’t even entirely necessary. Yes, that means you don’t even have to watch your movie in a pitch black room just to be able to watch the movie clearly.

In other words, an OLED screen makes any type of display look even better than before and that is precisely what you’d need for your home theatre.

With the built-in webOS, you can easily access YouTube, Spotify and many more apps without the need of an Android TV or Apple TV. The TVs is practically bezel free, bringing the cinematic experience back to your home.

Plus, it is crazy slim at just 4.3mm at the thinnest section.

This sexy baby retails at RM10,999.

Also Read: We Put 5 YouTube Gamers On The Hot Seat For Gaming Must-Haves. This Is What They Said.

3. HOP-6A Popcorn Machine

When it comes to a home theatre, you’d want it to be as close as possible to a commercial cinema like Golden Screen Cinemas. You could sit down on a comfy chair in a dark room with all those high-end equipments but you’re definitely missing one thing. Popcorn, and lots of it.

The HOP-6A is a popcorn maker that looks like the one you see on American TV shows in the late 80s/early 90s being used by street vendors, which is good as it not only makes popcorn, it makes for a perfect decoration to make you feel like you’re in an actual cinema.

All you have to do is add some oil, some sugar and some uncooked corn and wait for it to pop. The HOP-6A Popcorn Machine is priced at slightly over RM1,000.

4. LG Mosquito Away Inverter V Air Conditioner

Image Credit: http://vernonchan.com

Mosquitoes can get pretty annoying at times. One moment you’re enjoying a movie and another, you hear the buzzing sound of a mosquito hovering around your ear. It can get pretty frustrating, especially if your home theatre involves a dark room, which pretty much makes the mosquito invisible.

Introducing LG’s Mosquito Away Inverter V Air Conditioner, designed to not only keep you cool in Malaysia’s warm weather but to also repel mosquitoes. How do they do it? The air conditioners emit an ultrasonic wave that disrupts the mosquito’s ability to detect Carbon Dioxide which renders the mosquito inactive and eventually, they go away.

Pairing that with its self cleaning feature and efficient cooling, you have yourself a pretty damn good air conditioner. The price? Its suggested retail price for the 2.0hp version according to Lazada is RM3,099. Hey, if it’s able to repel mosquitoes, that sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

5. Down & Feather Quilts

Image Credit: http://thelinenfactory.com

Need a little extra comfort, warmth or both? You’ll probably need a quilt. Quilts that are made with 90% of duck down are not just light, they are also very soft, fluffy, and insulates you while absorbing moisture so you don’t get sweaty.

This way, you don’t have to worry about being too cold in an air conditioned room and have a more comfortable home theatre experience. Take your pick from the selections that are available at your nearest IKEA store.

Also Read: 5 Platforms To Help You Express Your Inner Hipster With Customised T-Shirts

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

Now that the fireworks have ended, the songs have faded, and the shops are slowly taking down the SG50 sales posters, it’s time to take a deep breath and go back to our lives.

I’m so bloody happy that SG50 is coming to an end.

It’s not that I hate my country — I’m a proud Singaporean and have lived here all my life. And as a little girl growing up in Singapore, I’ve always loved celebrating National Day. I was in my school choir for 8 years, and I know all the lyrics to the NDP songs because I had to sing them at every National Day celebration. I have a token red outfit in my wardrobe to whip out each time the 9^th of August comes around.

What surprised me was that despite sitting through the whole National Day Parade broadcast on television and eating my favourite Singaporean food with my favourite Singaporeans, I couldn’t suppress the weight that was lifted off my chest when the broadcast ended and the president left the stadium.

Image Credit: DoubleConfirm

There have been some great moments in SG50. I loved how our 50th anniversary sparked conversation and discussions about Singapore. Movements like RememberSG reminded us of the rich history that is uniquely Singaporean. People like Sonny Liew, Alfian Sa’at, and to some extent Amos Yee, were quick to show that a love for our country doesn’t mean that you are afraid to criticise it. I’m also partial to fireworks.

But after the seventh month of #SG50 campaigns (some of which I have covered here on Vulcan Post), I could feel a part of my heart collapsing.What began as genuine awe of my home’s achievements was eventually cheapened for fishcakes and magic tricks. It became an opportunity for established corporations to seem relevant to Singaporeans, and for independents to be heard in an Internet of hype-seekers.

A national celebration that should have been a collective experience became a self-serving one, where people joined in the conversation to avoid being left out of it, and this outcome — through a country-scale marketing scheme — became inevitable.

Perhaps it wasn’t that the campaign took place, but that it went on for as long as it did. When it first began, it was pretty fun. People created art and gushed over our favourite landmarks immortalised in LEGO structures. But things are only fun in small doses. SG50 became that annoying friend that talks about their birthday so much that when the day comes, it doesn’t feel like that big of a deal anymore.

Birthday presents were reduced to numbers on your Carousell app.

So what does an SG50-less life look like? To be honest, I don’t remember. But I’ll be enjoying this newfound freedom guiltlessly and with some degree of retrospection. Yes, appreciate the 50 years of struggle that Singapore has experienced, but also recognise that the struggles we face today are new ones.

The road to SG100 is going to be drastically different, but hopefully, it will be one that we go on with a collective effort, and an appreciation not only of the past, but of the people around us. To look past the Instagram-able moment and truly understand what it means to be part of a nation.

God damn it.

Also Read: Where Are They Now? A Look At What (In)Famous Singaporeans Have Been Up To Recently

Forget about hiring a private investigator: Malaysian Facebooker Kuan Chee Heng used social media to reunite a Chinese man with a McDonald’s manager to whom he owes his success and financial stability to. The manager in question is an Indian man he met in 1986—no, you didn’t read that date wrong—who was working at the fast food restaurant back then.

Chee Heng met a friend (referred to as Mr XXX in the Facebook post, we will name him Mr. X as he prefers to stay anonymous) who shared with him the story of how he came to Petaling Jaya from Batu Pahat in 1986.

Mr. X came from a poor family and he vowed to leave home after SPM to look for a job so as to not be a burden to his family. He heard that there were job opportunities in Petaling Jaya, so he made his way there but ended up sleeping at a park bench in Section 14 because he had nowhere to go.

“He had only RM50 with him and he travelled by bus to Puduraya. He heard P.J. has plenty of jobs and he took a taxi to P.J. The taxi driver charged him RM 30 and dropped him at Section 14 , P. Jaya. Not knowing where his direction, he went to a park in Section 14 and slept on a bench. Mosquitoes attacked him like hell and he woke up the next morning to find many senior citizens doing their early morning exercise.”

An Indian man then approached him and after talking to him about his plans, the stranger offered him an empty room in his house at Section 14. Mr. X admitted that he had no money for rental, but the kind Samaritan said that it’s okay and that Mr. X only needed to pay when he had the money.

As it turned out, this Indian man was a manager in the McDonald’s outlet at Section 14. Other than offering Mr. X a place to stay, he went a step further by also offering him a job at McDonald’s.

The McDonalds in Section 14.

The Turning Point

Mr. X did what was necessary for his survival. His breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day was just “bread sprinkled with Milo and plain water”. He slept with “his travelling bag as [his]pillow and nothing else”. He worked hard and kept everything he earned from his job and after a year, was able to enroll himself in Stamford College with his savings. When he graduated with excellent results, he was offered a scholarship by Pennsylvania University in the U.S.

Upon graduation, Mr. X applied for a job and worked by sailing the seas to send USD7,000 every month back to his family for 2 years. He came back to Malaysia and managed to earn a good income to make sure that his family continued to be financially stable in Batu Pahat.

Also Read: How This Father’s Actions Warmed Netizens’ Hearts And Led Him To Receive A Car Donation

But that isn’t the end of the story.

Mr. X returns the blessings bestowed upon him by doing his part for charity. He buys groceries for the poor (which was when he recounted his story to Chee Heng). And he never forgot about the Indian man working at McDonald’s in 1986—the man who gave him a chance to change his future, the man who helped to give him a head-start to the life that he has now.

Chee Heng then took to Facebook to help Mr. X track down the manager who changed his life. On the 9th of August, Chee Heng posted the long story of Mr. X, saying that he wanted the both of them to meet and to show how kindness was able to change Mr. X’s family for the better.

Reunited After 30 Years

With the help of social media and some of Mr. X’s friends, Mr. X was finally able to reunite with his saviour. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of Mr. X and the kind man (Chee Heng is trying to ask them for permission for pictures) as they prefer to stay anonymous.

Chee Heng posted a Facebook update and shared that Mr. X said:

“If this Indian McDonald’s guy did not offer a place for me to stay and not offer me a job in McDonald’s, I do not know where my destiny will be.”

The encouragement and incredible positivity by netizens who has read Chee Heng’s story on Mr. X has been overwhelming. Some are even trying to guess who the manager might be as they are inspired by his simple act of kindness.

Image Credit: Kuan Chee Heng’s Facebook post

I have to admit that personally, I have some of my own doubts. This is a miracle story that seems to have come to life from a movie screen, while looking suspiciously like a McDonald’s ad. But to be frank, can you really blame me for that? In general, our mindset has been shaped to anticipate the worst, to see the worst, and to conclude the worst.

However, I’ll give this story the benefit of the doubt, because it signifies hope—hope that we Malaysians desperately need, especially during this period of uncertainty, chaos and lies. If we cannot count on the government and if we cannot count on our leaders and politicians, then we should at least be able to count on each other. This story reminds us that we still can.

So it doesn’t matter if it was an employee from McDonald’s, KFC, TESCO, or any other company—that isn’t the point. The point isn’t even about an Indian helping a Chinese. It’s about a Malaysian helping a fellow Malaysian.

If this can occur 30 years ago, then why shouldn’t it occur now? Create a ripple and make a difference so that in another 30 years, we will have thousands of Mr. Xs, all seeking to do their part for the Malaysian society.

Read all 3 posts by Kuan Chee Heng about this story here, here, and here. In conjunction with Merdeka Day, if you have your own Malaysian story to share, spread some Malaysian love with us here.

Also Read: Dear 20-Something Malaysian, Don’t Abandon Ship—Home Needs You

Malaysians who did not enroll in Form 6 to sit the STPM exam might not be familiar with the term ‘UPU’. UPU is the government body that handles students’ applications to public universities, or also known as institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) in Bahasa Malaysia.

Simply put. they serve as the “funnel” that places students in a public university for their respective graduate studies. To study in a local public university, SPM leavers, STPM students, matrikulasi student as well as Diploma holders have to go through UPU.

Image Credit: MalaysiaTercinta.com

Results for this year’s allocation was released today at 12pm, students can now log in to this website to check their results. Meanwhile, before you celebrate your results (if you got into the university of your choice), take a look at these ridiculous tips that could actually help you during your university life.

#1: Cook your dishes the “Ahmad Maslan” way

If you don’t know what we’re talking about, you should read this first.

#tipsmasukU jgn lupa bawak rice cooker, gas peti ais dn smua brang dapur. Ahmad maslan suruh masak sendiri

— nurul (@CikKeyra) August 11, 2015

#TipsMasukU Bawak perkakas memasak dan lain² bagi menyahut cabaran Ahmad Maslan

— ??????? (@ZaaZane) August 11, 2015

#2 Know your exchange rates.

#tipsmasukU pastikan atleast pointer anda macam ni pic.twitter.com/93YRg2BpOR

— Pali Beanie (@zulfadlyzaidi) August 11, 2015

#3: Study smart, not hard.

#TipsMasukU Jgn lupa buat group wassup.. Senang kau nk share jawapan esaimen…

— Hafiz Hamid ™ (@apisAmid) August 11, 2015

#4: Be a teacher’s pet.

#TipsMasukU Hafal nama lecturer awal-awal, nanti exam senang nak tulis, kalau tak kena potong markah.

— Blank (@OfficialDyla) August 11, 2015

#5: Watch out for political drama.

#TipsMasukU Jangan letak kepercayaan kat kawan 100%. Kawan kawan pon boleh je tikam belakang. cth: najib muhyiddin. ouch burn

— Juna (@shauqinorizan) August 11, 2015

Also Read: Dear 20-Something Malaysian, Don’t Abandon Ship—Home Needs You

#6: I choose you! No wait, you. Hmm… no, you.

#TipsMasukU Group assignment paling celaka pic.twitter.com/1MfkADdqNJ

— ?? ???? (@shazzaqie) August 11, 2015

#TipsMasukU make sure bila cari group assignment bukan sleeping partner okay ?

— ain (@AinnnOmanah) August 11, 2015

#7: Plan your ‘ponteng’s.

#TipsMasukU Jgn skip kelas for fun. One day, you need to skip some classes to finish important assignments.

— rei (@MrFazree) August 11, 2015

#TipsMasukU Plan hari ponteng sebaiknya. Jangan main bedal je ponteng ikut suka nanti menyesal.

— Munah (@najwababes) August 11, 2015

#8: Don’t date your classmate. #AwkwardEx 

#tipsmasukU dont fall in love with your classmate.It can be the worst memory of all time.

— ilovekchdotcom (@twt_kuching) August 11, 2015

#9: Make friends for a rainy day.

berbaik baiklah dengan classmates, cause you will need them to sign your attendance one day hahaha #TipsMasukU

— Naqiuddin (@MuhdNqiuddin) August 10, 2015

#TipsMasukU buat baik dgn makcik cafe, inshaallah dpat makan lebih

— K (@kayrulong) August 11, 2015

#10: Problem solving is an important skill. 

#TipsMasukU Get ready to face the hardest question ever. "Nak makan kat mana?"

— Kaneki (@adiibjohari) August 10, 2015

#TipsMasukU buat jadual makan kat mana untuk setiap hari.. Nanti senang nak jawab soalan member… "Makan Mane?"

— Right Luck (@Right_Luck_RL) August 11, 2015

#11: Make sure your roommate doesn’t see your hot mess. 

#TipsMasukU sebelum berak check dulu air tu ada ke tak. kalau tak mereput lah kau dalam toilet tu

— erwin ben zayd (@erwnzaid) September 3, 2014

#12: Don’t cause nose bleeds.

#TipsMasukU pergi kelas jangan pakai bju dan legging yang membuatkan hidung bernanah tiba tiba

— riZ kANesHirO (@suarez781) August 11, 2015

#TipsMasukU wear makeup and stay professional. That's how lecturers know you're serious and not some comot kids.

— MasterOfChaos (@AriaFaustine) August 11, 2015

Also Read: Malaysia Gets Their Very Own Gag Page, And It’s About Darn Time

Disheartened by the recent 1MDB scandal surrounding Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak among other things, the Malaysian arm of Anonymous recently released an 8-minute video with a chilling message to the Prime Minister and the Malaysian government.

The video begins with the traditional trademark of Anonymous accompanied with their style of tension building music and the words, “We are Anonymous” and their cool tagline, “We Are Uniting Humanity”.

After the fiery introduction, the main cast of the video—an Anonymous representative who resembles the Grim Reaper that shares a deep love for Guy Fawkes masks and auto tune—begins his speech to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

Image Credit: Anonymous Video

The masked man calmly states that he’s a member of Anonymous Malaysia and that the group will be working alongside the International Arm of Anonymous and the citizens of Malaysia on a campaign with the moniker, Bersih 4.0 that will be held on from 29th to 30th of August at 2:30 pm.

Also Read: 30 Years Later, Successful M’sian Man Reunites With Samaritan Who Changed His Life

“At this time, we will be launching Internet Warfare to the Malaysian Government which is believed to be the largest type of Internet assault in Malaysia’s history ever,” exclaimed the Anonymous representative.

He/she then goes on to explain that the group wants the Prime Minister to resign and accept the 1MDB investigation and they also want him to refrain from arresting the Sarawak reporter.

Image Credit: Anonymous Video

The Anonymous representative also goes on to explain the various crimes that the Prime Minister is allegedly involved in, like the murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, the scandal of 1MDB Malaysia—the transfer of over 2 billion into his personal bank account, the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and the conspiracy behing MH370, among others.

The representative went a step further to reiterate the disappointment and the frustration that was caused by the Prime Minister’s alleged behaviour and they feel that he should step down in response.

Bersih 4.0 will be used to attack targets 1MDB, Najib Razak portal, Malaysia SPRM, Royal Police Force PDRM and they have also collected an additional 150 websites to be the attacked within the next 48 hours after the 30th of August.

You can check out the full video here:

Whether the proposed attack will have any large effect on the status quo is still questionable and honestly I’m quite skeptical of whether Anonymous Malaysia will follow through with their threats. We will find out in about 3 weeks’ time.

Also Read: Get Ready Your Hiking Gear, Mount Kinabalu Will Be Reopened To Visitors In September

Whenever I get a new phone, I download a bunch of apps with similar functionalities, test them out, and find out which ones I like best. I check out a number of photo-editing apps to see which one suits my Instagram needs, a few Internet browsers to see which one has the interface I like most, and likewise, I do the same with keyboards. A few keyboards caught my eye.

(The following keyboards were tested on Android. Forgive my lack of knowledge regarding iOS.)

1. Ginger Keyboard

Outside of the regular keyboard features we’ve come to know and expect like trace/gesture functionality and customisable themes, Ginger Keyboard boasts a whole host of other cool features — some of which we might not even have realised we wanted in a keyboard.

Double Duty

Image Credit: Google Play

Most fascinating to me is that Ginger Keyboard allows users to view both messaging threads and current news or games such as 2048 and Snake in a single page. This means that you will be able to keep yourself occupied while waiting for message replies.

Writing Tools

Image Credit: www.vizz.co

The keyboard also gives you the option to translate, rephrase, or define words, so becoming a wordsmith is literally just a finger-tap away.

2. Fleksy

Invisible Keyboard

Fleksy prides itself on having such an accurate and adaptive prediction engine that one of its extensions allows you to turn the keyboard transparent (Android version only). This ensures that you can take in the full glory of your screen as you type, without the keyboard getting in the way.

Send GIFs, Type One-Handed

Among Fleksy’s other extensions include the ability to send GIFs as easily as emoticons, the option to optimise your keyboard for typing one-handed (iOS version only), Android-only features such as launching apps on your phone via Fleksy, and setting up shortcuts to type even faster.

Hashtag Prediction

If you’re addicted to #hashtags, then this one was made for you: one of Fleksy’s latest updates has it suggesting relevant hashtags with every word you type. You’ll have more hashtags at your disposal to tag your photos with on Instagram, and you won’t even need to memorise a single one. 

3. TouchPal

Image Credit: tomsguide.com

Is the written language not enough to capture the depth and complexity of your thoughts? TouchPal’s keyboard was designed to solve this problem, particularly in the emoticon department. As you type, TouchPal will occasionally suggest relevant emojis to go with — or even replace — your words.

Emoji Art

Want to use more unique emojis? TouchPal comes equipped with more elaborate emoji art to better get your emotions across. If you’re more ^_^ than :), TouchPal also offers an array of ASCII/”Japanese-style” emoticons at your disposal.

As keyboards continue to evolve, what new and interesting features will we get to try out next? Tell us your ideas in the comments below!

This article was submitted via Vulcan Post’s submission page by Edwin, whose fascination for stories and art spans the horizon.

Also Read: How To Use Facebook’s Hidden Keyboard Shortcuts

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

If you’ve flown from Changi Airport (or any airport, really), you would probably recognise this phenomenon:

Image Credit: BBC

With the prevalence of online check-in options, this queue should be extinct. Yet the queue remains, with travellers having to line up anyway to print out boarding tickets, enduring this stressball of a hold up.

In an attempt to relieve this situation, SIA has announced that they have introduced self-service check-in kiosks in Terminal 2, where their international flights depart Southeast Asia. These kiosks, which have already been introduced by other airlines like AirAsia, will scan your passport and print your boarding ticket and luggage tags, making the check-in process easier and faster. Those with check-in luggage can simply tag their bags themselves, before dropping them off at designated counters.

This will be Changi Airport’s largest roll-out of self-service check-in kiosks, with 25 machines being installed across SIA and SilkAir’s check-in rows.

Changi Airport Group spokesman Ivan Tan said to The Straits Times: “The entire check-in sequence — including printing of boarding pass and bag tags, together with tagging and baggage drop-off — can be done in a matter of minutes. The time taken is expected to reduce as travellers gain familiarity with this mode of processing, given the growing use of automated check-in options in airports around the world.”

Singaporeans And The DIY Process

Other than in Changi Airport, SIA also has self-service kiosks set up in Amsterdam Schiphol, Copenhagen, and London Heathrow, where self check-ins are common practice. But while the DIY process would ideally quicken the process, the pace of adoption in Singapore for self-service counters is still slow. For example, self-service counters were introduced in supermarkets a few years back, but attendants are still required to be stationed nearby to assist people new to the system.

It may take a few years for the DIY check-in process to be fully automated, and the biggest stumbling block would be educating Singaporean travellers on how to use the system, especially the older demographic. This could serve to slow down the process and increase the need for manpower in the short run. I personally remember an incident in Edinburgh Airport, where passengers were complaining about being ushered (manually) to use the self-service kiosks — a majority of them were above 50.

So will full adoption take place? Given enough time, it’s possible. But it’s unlikely that these kiosks will make a noticeable dent in processing time for at least the first 2-3 years. After all, I’ll still need to queue to get my luggage checked-in, despite tagging them myself.

Also Read: 6 Lessons On Entrepreneurship By Charles Wong From Charles & Keith

There is an article in New York Magazine about what 13 different people wore to an interview with fashion’s most daunting lady and the mighty editor of Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour. A heads up if that is something you want to do in the future: the lady seems to like tights with pleated skirts a lot, but you’re definitely not getting the job if you are all decked out in vintage.

The point is, what you wear matters. More than you think you know. With hashtags like #ootd (outfit of the day), and #wiwt (what I wore today) running rampant and taking over social media platforms, it’s evident that people care quite a decent amount about what others are wearing.

Especially Singapore-based fashion e-commerce platform, Her Velvet Vase.

Magdalene (left) and Clare Chan, co-founders of Her Velvet Vase.

Founded by sisters Clare and Magdalene Chan in 2007 (then only 19 and 15 respectively), they specialise in designing and manufacturing their own products, mainly in apparel, jewellery, accessories, and footwear. Now, they are backed by a team of 20, who deal with business development, operations, marketing, creative, editorial, merchandising and more. Still not impressed? Well, they’ve recently also set up shop in famed fashion capital New York City.

The Bare Necessities

A strong emphasis on individuality was where Her Velvet Vase was borne from. Clare was studying in Melbourne eight years ago and found the fashion scene there very experimental and adventurous. Bear in mind that 2007 was a period when the fashion e-commerce landscape was sparse and relatively untouched — being the first few online stores to be established gave them a strong first mover advantage.

Image Credit: www.glamour.com

“If you wanted to buy an outfit, you’d either have to go down to Orchard or pop into a brick and mortar store. So that was really what got us thinking — would it be possible to deliver an outfit to the doorsteps of our customers? Why not offer customers an option to shop from the comforts of their own home? And that was what spurred us to start Her Velvet Vase. We wanted to bring that sense of fashion individuality and convenience back home with us,” Clare explained.

And then the hard work really began. In the following years, Her Velvet Vase created a name and niche for themselves by designing and manufacturing their own products, recreating the boundaries of e-commerce by establishing a fully customisable website and backend system, as well as offering customers a unique and unparalleled level of customer service and customer loyalty programs.

It’s Business Time

Her Velvet Vase launched in 2007 and started out selling the basic cotton dress. Keeping to their roots, Clare says that to this date, they have continued to work with manufacturers in China to constantly produce refined and improved versions of quality and staple cotton outfits for their customers.

They’ve also been working to stay unique and differentiate themselves from their competition: the team have since moved from the single notion of offering alternative fashion options to providing consumers with a more multifaceted fashion experience. A quick browse of their website reveals something of an online lifestyle portal, with content on beauty, health, and wellness — on top of their independently-designed apparel collection. It’s innovative and progressive, and not too shabby for a young and lean team.

Steppin’ Out In NYC

Image Credit: Her Velvet Vase

New York, New York. Like they say; if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. And from a business perspective, Clare shared that tapping on the vast opportunities that the US market would be able to offer, as well as the experience, knowledge and traction that they’d gain from working in one of the biggest e-commerce and fashion hubs in the world, was the obvious next step.

And with Magdalene based in New York — she has been studying fashion design at the prestigious Parsons School of Design for the past two years — they decided it was time to make their move. Clare explained, “We felt that by placing ourselves against a higher benchmark and bigger market, we would be able to accelerate our growth and bring back exciting new insights to our business strategy in Singapore and Asia.”

Even with business all set up in NYC, though, Clare revealed that the process of building themselves up in the US started long before officially launching. There were months of research, creating and recreating of business strategies, forecasts, and marketing timelines that they had to engage in. But with everything sort of settled now, the team are keen to embark on collaborations for the brand. They are in one of the most creative places in the world, after all.

The Right Fit

Though the journey of Her Velvet Vase may seem almost flawless, Clare revealed that there were roadblocks at the start. She said, “When we established our first local office, we hired a team of older staff in the hopes of learning from their experience and expertise. Unfortunately, the e-commerce scene then was still very niche and they were uncomfortable with the irregularities in schedule and pace. We received comments about how our business model did not make sense and was not sustainable, and we lacked prior working experience — I was 20 and Mag was 16! This affected us pretty badly!”

Clare and Magdalene took some time to reevaluate their business and business model before realising that the right fit matters — meaning the team had to be restructured. And it is to great team dynamics that they owe the success of Her Velvet Vase. To Clare, a team that is honest and open to critical feedback, flexible, goal-oriented and willing to work hard for what they believe in is valuable to the growth of a company.

To Future Empires

As with any business, there is almost no rest to speak of. While the sisters continue to work on expanding into new countries and markets, they take everyday in their stride. What is unique about Her Velvet Vase is their ability to adapt, and their awareness of how e-commerce has evolved.

“E-commerce has changed the way brands reach out to customers by constantly introducing faster, easier ways to enable consumers to make purchases on the go. The pros are the high levels of convenience, but it also removes that human element from the shopping experience, and this causes a gap because we inherently thrive on social engagement and interaction.

“However, we wanted Her Velvet Vase to continue to be based primarily online, so we had to adopt a very unique model that would enable our offline experiences to be impactful and memorable to our customers. This is why we value exclusivity and specific feel-good moments,” Clare explained.

With bright minds like Clare and Magdalene in the fashion e-commerce industry, the future seems to be in good (and crafty) hands. And with days filled with hearty team breakfasts, the mandatory morning stock check, team meetings discussing featured outfits, and photoshoots with Lithuanian models, it’s definitely unlike your 9 to 5 job, all right!

Also Read: Custom Crafts Startup Snupped On Their Dark Ages And Naggy Office Pets

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

As with most others my age, we rarely step foot into a wet market. We’re not likely to know where the popular wet markets with the freshest produce in Singapore are. And that is a problem — a problem that Desmond Khoo and his team of four is looking to solve.

At 30 years old, Desmond started helping out at his parents’ vegetable stall in Woodlands. His family owns a total of five wet and dry markets in Singapore, so it’s no surprise that he started spending most of his time understanding the wet market and fresh produce industry.

Their group of companies is constantly exploring new location opportunities, but Desmond saw the opportunity to connect with more customers through e-commerce. To his parents, who do not understand Internet businesses, venturing online seemed to be a daunting task that should only be tackled by the younger generations.

So Desmond gathered cousin Ferri Ang, wife Tay Yi Ling as well as close friend Edwin, and quietly worked on PurelyFresh, the missing e-commerce piece in their family’s group of companies. And now they are ready to share it with the world.

Better Late Than Never

Readers of Vulcan Post would know this: fresh produce delivery in Singapore is probably spearheaded by GoFresh, which was launched in June 2014. Shortly after that, RedMart joined in, offering a selection of fresh produce to their customers.

Though late in the game, Desmond is confident that they can win the fresh produce delivery war in Singapore. Unlike RedMart, the newly launched PurelyFresh provides customisation services where you can request for the fishmonger to slice your fish or the butcher to mince pork — the same level of experience you would get should you visit the wet market.

PurelyFresh also allows cash on delivery on top of its online payment options, and get this: they offer a selection of halal certified meats such as beef, mutton and chicken, to cater to their Muslim customers.

Perhaps the biggest competitive edge it has over other players is that their group owns wet and dry markets in Sengkang, Punggol, Tampines and Woodlands. This allows them to provide the freshest vegetables, seafood, meats and more straight from their markets to your doorstep.

“Think of us as an online wet market and you’ll get what I mean,” Desmond told Vulcan Post confidently.

Thanks to this unfair advantage, PurelyFresh can offer their customers a full money back guarantee — a clear sign of confidence from the team towards the fresh produce they deliver to customers.

Since its soft launch earlier this year, PurelyFresh has grown to feature over 1,400 products on its platform, and has served over 1,000 customers. It primarily relies on word of mouth to get new customers.

A Good Idea Without A Good Team Is Nothing

Reaching its first 1000 customers was no easy feat, and Desmond has his team to thank. His cousin Ferri spearheaded the transformation of his family’s fledgling wholesale trading company — it earned a yearly revenue of less than S$20,000 then — into one that now generates over S$5 million yearly, all within a span of three years. Handling operations is close friend Edwin, while spouse Yi Ling takes care of the finances of the new e-commerce business.

Ending off the interview with us, Desmond shared that they are confident that they will rise among the competition.

“We strongly believe that PurelyFresh will work because we are the only fresh groceries delivery in Singapore that is truly Fresh like what you can get in our markets. The grocery delivery industry is saturated with online supermarkets but we have not seen an Online Wet Market as big as us yet, partly thanks to the fact that we own 5 wet and dry markets and have been in the industry with experience for over 18 years.”

For PurelyFresh, it is the team’s ambition to bring the wet market experience online, so that more people can enjoy fresh produce straight from the wet markets of Singapore.

Also Read: FairPrice Online Secretly Launched A New App, And We Found Out!

The International Anti-Corruption Conference is the world’s premier global forum to bring together heads of state, civil society, the private sector and to tackle the increasingly sophisticated challenges posed by corruption.

Held every two years in a different part of the world, the conference last met in Brazil in 2012. This year the conference is back, and the IACC has set the dates for the conference from September 2 to 4, in none other than our beloved country, which is currently in the middle of the worst financial scandal in our country’s history. And one of the speakers happens to be Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Image Credit: IbTimes

Netizens slam IACC for appointing PM Najib to talk about corruption.

Our country has many achievements to be proud of. However, ranking as one of the most corrupt nations in the world is certainly not in that list.

The decision of appointing PM Najib as one of the speakers has lead netizens up in arms on the IACC Facebook page to question the credibility of IACC. A Facebook post in particular that was about Najib’s alleged secret USD700 million was hit by negative feedback and responses in the comment section.

Facebook user Desmond Lew commented, “Irony. Speaker list includes: Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia. IACC, you are mocking your own conference by having him as speaker.”

Another user Wayne Cheah wrote,”Is it just me or you really expect him to share his expert experience how to steal country’s wealth? Inviting a thief to give speech how to anti-theft, what a irony.”

Also Read: Anonymous Malaysia Threatens Internet Warfare This August 29 and 30

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang weighs in

DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has also voiced out his thoughts on such decision in a statement reported by Malaysiakini. “The 16th IACC is very lucky for it will have the special privilege and honour not only to have a major participant but the key player of 1MDB scandal to give the keynote address,” said Kit Siang.

Image Credit: KL Coconuts

Sarcastically he also suggested the heads of the MACC, Bank Negara, police, as well as the Attorney-General’s Chambers to speak at the event. “They should appear before the IACC sessions to impart their experience and expertise to an international conference as they must be the only outfit in the world of subordinate officers investigating the number one authority in government and nation, the prime minister,” said Kit Siang.

Can corruption be eradicated by having the PM in IACC?

The timing of the conference is horrible. Especially now when the country is dealing with financial scandals. The PM is facing the biggest challenge of his leadership—even the risk of criminal charges. Allegations include him being involved in the election fraud of 2013, the murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, the transfer of 2.6 billion into his personal account, and many others.

Najib being a speaker in IACC doesn’t help to instill trust among Malaysians, if anything, it makes it worse.

Also Read: 8 Cringe-Worthy Malaysian Moments That Went Viral

The word ‘usher’ could mean many things. To some it would be a hot American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor; to others it is a term often used to welcome the new year; and to most it means to have the responsibility of guiding people to their seats during an event, such as a wedding. Malaysian startup LocalUsher is one that uses the word from a travelling perspective.

Founded by two female wanderlusts named Sabrina Cheng and Hui Lin Ng, LocalUsher is like the Airbnb for travelling experiences. Users can use LocalUsher as a platform for urbanites to discover and book interesting experiences around them.

The website contains something for everyone—from glamping, staying in a boathouse, food hunting tours—LocalUsher hopes to connect locals with travellers who are seeking to have a one-of-a-kind travel experience.

Essentially, LocalUsher aims to usher travellers to new and exciting experiences.

Travel Experiences Based On Personality

As you can see, their slogan is “explore unique experiences around you”. Users are able to look for different experiences, ranging from indoor to outdoor options.

There are three ways to search for a holiday that is to your liking—popular experiences, personality, and locations. Searching for a travel itinerary based on popular favourites and location is the norm so there is nothing extraordinary about that, but searching based on personality is something that is less common.

No one traveller is the same. If you’ve travelled in a group in the past, this is something that you would have noticed. Everyone has different needs, expectations, budget, interests, and travel pace. That’s why it makes perfect sense to search for a travel plan based on individual personality.

Thus, if you are a slacker and you prefer holidays which are more laid back and relaxed, then you can gather friends who are also ‘slackers’ by nature to join you on your travels.

For people who prefer to search for travel experienced based on location, LocalUsher currently offers experiences from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Singapore. It was confusing at first to see travel experiences in Pahang and Perak listed in the Kuala Lumpur category, but a quick call to co-founder Sabrina solved that.

She explained that the locations listed are for users who stay in that area but would like to visit other nearby states for a getaway. So not all experiences listed in the Kuala Lumpur category are all in Kuala Lumpur since Pahang and Perak are located near enough for a weekend getaway.

She also said that they plan to increase the number of personalities to include people who are into history and culture, and more. That is something I’m definitely looking forward to because there are still plenty of personality types to add to the site. Besides that, sometimes a laid back person might prefer to do something more adventurous and vice versa, so with more personalities listed, users will have various options to choose from.

The experiences listed on LocalUsher have one common theme and that is they all appeal to urbanites and city-dwellers who don’t want to settle with an ordinary life, rather, they want to have non-typical experiences to fuel their zeal for life.

Also Read: These 12 Cafés In Klang Valley With Free WiFi And Power Sockets Are Professional Nomads’ Best Bet

Be An Usher

If you prefer to do the ushering instead of being ushered, you can offer your services as a ‘tour guide’ and list an experience on the site for free.

LocalUsher users can hire you for your expertise to bring them to enjoy local experiences and if you get 3 successful recommendations, LocalUsher will grant you with a token of appreciation—you get to bring a friend along with you for free to an experience of your choice.

The experience that you choose to list could be something personal. If you are a barista, you can offer to give someone the experience of being a barista for a day; if you are a hiker, you can bring travellers to scale the hills and mountains of the city; or if you are a food expert, you can bring travellers to the hidden gems scattered about the back alleys.

Verdict: 4/5

For an Airbnb accommodation to get attention from travellers and be in high demand, the owner has to provide a room/house that is unique and special. Travellers want to pay for something that is memorable, and that is exactly the same challenge for LocalUsher.

To ensure that travellers are kept interested and to retain them as returning LocalUsher users, the experiences listed should also be unique, special, and memorable. If the experience is too predictable and common, then what’s stopping travellers to search for travel plans via Google directly instead of on LocalUsher?

A quick look through on the experiences listed has got me hooked, so LocalUsher is off to a good start. And since I am a rather picky traveller, I can easily look for travel experiences that suit my personality.

A night on a boathouse or a treehouse? Perfect getaway. Private island escapade? Yes, please.

Also Read: 5 Things We Malaysians Need For The Ultimate Home Theatre Experience

All images are from LocalUsher’s website. Check them out for more interesting local experiences or list an experience for free here.

Water parks can take a back seat for a while, because Slide The City is coming to Malaysia to take over the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Originating from the United States, Slide The City started touring around the globe in various regions. They have gone to Canada, the United Kingdom, Columbia, as well as Southeast Asia countries like Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong. Now they have their eyes set on Malaysia.

Basically Slide The City will transform 1000 feet (equivalent of 3 football fields) of a city street into a gigantic water slip and slide.

While this article is being written, there is no news on the details of when this will actually take place yet. Nonetheless on their Facebook page, especially in the comments section, netizens are excited and eager to find out more details.

The price of the tickets hasn’t been released, but so far they have announced the types of tickets.

Tier ①：Single Slider
Tier ②：Triple Slider
Tier ③：Unlimited Slider

For the latest updates, follow their Facebook page. And while you wait in anticipation, check out this video:

Also Read: 5 Things We Malaysians Need For The Ultimate Home Theatre Experience

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post. 

Unless you’re a Game of Thrones fan who’s been waiting patiently for the DVD to be released, you’ve probably done something, well, illegal. But piracy can wait, because we now have a legitimate way to watch our favourite HBO shows.

HBO Go, the US network’s brand new online streaming service, is now available in Singapore. The service was previously restricted to American shores, but can now be accessed via a new video streaming platform by Singaporean telco StarHub.

The name of this platform? StarHub Go. Original.

Image Credit: pohtecktoes.com

With the launch of the platform as of yesterday, viewers will have full access to 300 hours of HBO and Cinemax Original series and films. According to StarHub, this catalogue is set to grow to 1,000 hours by the end of 2015.

StarHub Go will compete directly with other online streaming services like Malaysia’s iFlix, Singtel’s Hooq, and Toggle, a dedicated online platform for MediaCorp television channels. But having popular HBO titles like Game of Thrones, True Detectives, Entourage, and The Newsroom will definitely give StarHub an advantage — until Netflix gets here, that is.

“There’s so much demand for HBO’s award-winning content that delivering them digitally on multiple devices for our fans to watch on their own terms has been our foremost priority,” says Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia. “Introducing HBO Asia’s standalone streaming service on StarHub Go without a traditional pay TV subscription is a natural progression for us to reach new audiences.”

StarHub Go’s Go Premium Pack, which offers a mix of HBO and Cinemax Originals, as well as the latest Asian entertainment content, is priced at SGD 19.90 per month, but early adopters who sign up between August 12 and September 30 will pay a special price of SGD 1.99 per month for the first three months. If you’re already subscribed to HBO channels with StarHub, their HBO On Demand will be accessible to you via StarHub Go free-of-charge!

The service is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows 8.1 devices, and PC and Mac computers, though you will have to have Silverlight player installed.

Finally having a legitimate means to watch your favourite TV shows might mean that Game of Thrones, the most pirated television show in 2015, may be knocked off its top rank — to our delight. Though we will have to wait till mid 2016 to enjoy it.

Also Read: How To Watch Game Of Thrones In Singapore Without Resorting To Torrents

Meet Fadille Rahman: 22 years old, all round nice guy, the sole provider for the family, a loving son to his widowed mother, and also a DJ in Singapore’s thriving nightlife scene. He’s also recently been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disease that affects the nervous system.

Guillain-Barré is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, affecting muscle movement and function. The symptoms for the disorder can develop over any length of time between half a day and two weeks, and even reach a critical phase where it gets life-threatening. Some common symptoms include the weakening of breathing muscles, leading to dependency on mechanical ventilation — which Fadille faced.

Image Credit: Fadille’s GiveAsia Campaign

Recovery will take months and he will be needing some help. Some of Fadille’s friends have taken to the crowdfunding platform, GiveAsia, to do their part in helping him and to create awareness of the rare disease. Medical and rehabilitation costs will be extremely steep, and being the only breadwinner of the family, it will take a toll on his family’s finances.

Since the campaign was launched two weeks ago, $10,556 has been raised thanks to good Samaritans, friends, and people Fadille has met during his DJ stints. It’s still only a third of the $30,000 goal, but it is getting there.

Judging from the comments left behind on the campaign page, it’s clear that Fadille has made quite the impact on the people he’s met:

Image Credit: Fadille’s GiveAsia Campaign

If you wish to donate, click here.

Image Credit: Fadille’s GiveAsia Campaign

While you’re at it, there is also currently an SG50 campaign to raise $50 million for Singaporeans who are in need. The total amount collected so far is slightly over $7 million — a significant amount, but still a long way from their eventual goal. So if you’re looking to do some good, hop over to GiveAsia and show your love. 

God speed, Fadille!

Also Read: 5 Heartwarming Times Singaporeans Rallied Online To Do Good Through Crowdfunding