Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
德士公司经营门槛或大幅提高 规模较小业者可能遭淘汰或被迫整合
德士公司经营门槛或大幅提高 规模较小业者可能遭淘汰或被迫整合
（2011-01-15）
● 李静仪
陆路交通管理局有意大幅提高申请德士经营执照的门槛，根据本报探知，现有德士公司日后在更新执照时也得遵循新条例。有观察家估计，规模较小的业者最终可能面临被淘汰的厄运或被迫合并。
目前，陆交局规定新德士公司需在获颁执照第一年内推出100辆德士，四年内把车队增至最少400辆。当局下来可能规定，以后新德士公司在第一年就得有400辆的车队，并在三年内扩大至1000辆。
此外，所有新车队也必须装有卫星传召德士系统，目前市场龙头老大康福德高的德士预定系统，是采用先进的人造通讯卫星来确定德士所在位置。
SMRT德士也是使用环球定位系统（GPS）来电召德士，其他较小的公司则是采用无线电波技术。
德士市场是在2003年起开放，现有的德士公司营业执照有效期为10年，也就是说当年首批获颁执照的新德士公司包括Premier和胜达（SMART）须在未来两三年后更新执照，据知它们到时也会受到新条例的影响。
据可靠的市场消息透露，当局提高德士经营门槛的用意是要从根本上提升德士的服务水平，但规模较小的业者却担心，如果财力上无法满足新要求，最终可能惨遭淘汰。
陆交局最后一次发出新德士经营执照是在2007年8月，批准百胜德士(Prime)营业，使德士业者增至8家（包括私人黄顶德士）。
但前年11月，它拒绝了本地造船厂Star-Ray提出的德士执照申请，当时公开的原因是这家公司“不完全符合申请条件”。
陆交局当时说，它评估德士经营执照申请时所考虑的因素包括申请者的品格、财务状况、服务能力及所建议使用的车款等。现有德士服务及市场的需求也是考量之一。
目前公路上共有2万5600多辆德士，比德士市场开放前增加将近三成。其中，经营1万5000多辆德士的康福德高拥有六成的市场占有率，得运（Trans-cab）车队已扩大到接近4000辆，取代SMRT德士晋升为市场老二。
SMRT则有约2600辆德士，目前不超过1000辆德士的公司有胜达(720多辆)和百胜(700辆)。SMRT和百胜去年也因服务不达标包括电召配对率不及格，总共被陆交局罚款7万多元。
专研究交通模式的国大土木工程系副教授李德纮博士指出，利用卫星技术的电召配对系统成本不低，如果德士车队未达到一定规模，小公司根本无法取得规模经济效益，更别说与康福德高竞争。
他说，拥车证成价高涨，让需更新车队的德士公司面对较大的经济压力，特别是规模较小的业者。新条例如果实施，财力物力有限的小公司恐怕得进行整合，否则可能被淘汰。
政府国会交通委员会主席林伟杰医生（三巴旺集选区议员）受访时说：“新条例将提高德士经营门槛，现有的小公司如果也得遵循，它们别无选择，只能进行整合，唯有这样才能取得规模经济效益。”
他说：“市场有几个较大的业者，总好过有许多小业者，这样才较容易确保德士遵循服务准则，达到规模经济效益。德士公司的工作并不只是出租德士而已，而是要确保司机提供良好服务，能应付电召需求等。”
李德纮说：“新加坡的德士并非不足够，只是存有供求不均的问题。小公司其实可进行策略联盟，使用单一的电召配对中心，不但能分担成本，也比较有能力同康福德高分庭抗礼，乘客也比较容易订到车。”
（2011-01-15）
● 李静仪
陆路交通管理局有意大幅提高申请德士经营执照的门槛，根据本报探知，现有德士公司日后在更新执照时也得遵循新条例。有观察家估计，规模较小的业者最终可能面临被淘汰的厄运或被迫合并。
目前，陆交局规定新德士公司需在获颁执照第一年内推出100辆德士，四年内把车队增至最少400辆。当局下来可能规定，以后新德士公司在第一年就得有400辆的车队，并在三年内扩大至1000辆。
此外，所有新车队也必须装有卫星传召德士系统，目前市场龙头老大康福德高的德士预定系统，是采用先进的人造通讯卫星来确定德士所在位置。
SMRT德士也是使用环球定位系统（GPS）来电召德士，其他较小的公司则是采用无线电波技术。
德士市场是在2003年起开放，现有的德士公司营业执照有效期为10年，也就是说当年首批获颁执照的新德士公司包括Premier和胜达（SMART）须在未来两三年后更新执照，据知它们到时也会受到新条例的影响。
据可靠的市场消息透露，当局提高德士经营门槛的用意是要从根本上提升德士的服务水平，但规模较小的业者却担心，如果财力上无法满足新要求，最终可能惨遭淘汰。
陆交局最后一次发出新德士经营执照是在2007年8月，批准百胜德士(Prime)营业，使德士业者增至8家（包括私人黄顶德士）。
但前年11月，它拒绝了本地造船厂Star-Ray提出的德士执照申请，当时公开的原因是这家公司“不完全符合申请条件”。
陆交局当时说，它评估德士经营执照申请时所考虑的因素包括申请者的品格、财务状况、服务能力及所建议使用的车款等。现有德士服务及市场的需求也是考量之一。
目前公路上共有2万5600多辆德士，比德士市场开放前增加将近三成。其中，经营1万5000多辆德士的康福德高拥有六成的市场占有率，得运（Trans-cab）车队已扩大到接近4000辆，取代SMRT德士晋升为市场老二。
SMRT则有约2600辆德士，目前不超过1000辆德士的公司有胜达(720多辆)和百胜(700辆)。SMRT和百胜去年也因服务不达标包括电召配对率不及格，总共被陆交局罚款7万多元。
专研究交通模式的国大土木工程系副教授李德纮博士指出，利用卫星技术的电召配对系统成本不低，如果德士车队未达到一定规模，小公司根本无法取得规模经济效益，更别说与康福德高竞争。
他说，拥车证成价高涨，让需更新车队的德士公司面对较大的经济压力，特别是规模较小的业者。新条例如果实施，财力物力有限的小公司恐怕得进行整合，否则可能被淘汰。
政府国会交通委员会主席林伟杰医生（三巴旺集选区议员）受访时说：“新条例将提高德士经营门槛，现有的小公司如果也得遵循，它们别无选择，只能进行整合，唯有这样才能取得规模经济效益。”
他说：“市场有几个较大的业者，总好过有许多小业者，这样才较容易确保德士遵循服务准则，达到规模经济效益。德士公司的工作并不只是出租德士而已，而是要确保司机提供良好服务，能应付电召需求等。”
李德纮说：“新加坡的德士并非不足够，只是存有供求不均的问题。小公司其实可进行策略联盟，使用单一的电召配对中心，不但能分担成本，也比较有能力同康福德高分庭抗礼，乘客也比较容易订到车。”
更正: 吴作氡
更正
（2011-01-15）
本报昨天第17版的“李资政吁莱佛士书院保留收生不问出身传统”新闻中，把国务资政吴作栋名字误写为“吴作氡”。
另外，第35版刊登的“我国消费税可能调高到10%”一文，两个新闻人物的照片说明颠倒，左边应该是杨开荣，右边应是蓝国城。特此更正。
（2011-01-15）
本报昨天第17版的“李资政吁莱佛士书院保留收生不问出身传统”新闻中，把国务资政吴作栋名字误写为“吴作氡”。
另外，第35版刊登的“我国消费税可能调高到10%”一文，两个新闻人物的照片说明颠倒，左边应该是杨开荣，右边应是蓝国城。特此更正。
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Tertiary education to cost more
Tertiary education to cost more
05:55 AM Jan 15, 2011
SINGAPORE - Tertiary education in Singapore is going to cost more.
On Friday, all three universities, five polytechnics and the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) announced their latest round of fee hike, which will be applied to this year's incoming cohort.
As with previous rounds, the hike will be higher for foreigners and Permanent Residents in line with the Government's policy to sharpen differentiation between citizens and foreigners.
University fees have been increased almost yearly since 1991, when the Government announced that it would have more frequent but smaller fee increases rather than a hefty hike every few years.
For polytechnics and ITEs, the latest hike will be the third in five years and the second in consecutive years.
Singaporean undergraduates at National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students will pay either 4 or 6 per cent more - or between $280 and $540 more - depending on their courses. The hike at Singapore Management University (SMU) is slightly lower, at a flat 3 per cent.
At NUS, the highest increases will be for architecture, business, law, music, nursing and pharmacy undergraduates. At NTU, fees for business courses will go up the most.
The five polytechnics will raise their fees by 2 per cent for Singaporean students while at the ITEs, Singaporean students will pay $10 more for their Nitec and Higher Nitec courses.
Pakistani Salman Zaheer, who is studying banking and finance at Nanyang Polytechnic, was unhappy about the higher increase for foreign students. Adding that he might consider going elsewhere to further his studies, he said: "We are already paying much higher (fees) than locals here."
Singaporean Praveen Raj, who is also studying at Nanyang Polytechnic, said he felt that the continual increase could pose a problem for future batches of students.
A family MediaCorp spoke to said they had factored in fee hikes before their son, who is 19, enters university. His parents said they have been saving for his education since he was a year old.
Said the father, Mr Sunny Ong: "If we have problems paying the fees, we can get a bank loan or use CPF. We also hope that our universities can compete globally ... so foreign students will want to study here."
Incoming post-graduate Singaporean students at NUS and NTU will pay 6 per cent more in fees, with the exception of the nursing post-graduate programme. Their fees will increase 3 per cent each year for the remainder of their course duration.
Existing post-graduate NTU and NUS Singaporean students will also see an annual 3 per cent increase for the remaining duration of their respective courses.
For SMU, there will be no change in fees for its research programmes at the Masters and PhD levels.
The tertiary institutions said they will ensure that there are sufficient financial assistance schemes in place so that no student admitted will be denied the opportunity of an education because of financial difficulties.
Copyright 2011 MediaCorp Pte Ltd All Rights Reserved
Corruption - Man jailed 10 years over SLA scam
Man jailed 10 years over SLA scam
Former swimming instructor first of 8 to be dealt with
05:55 AM Jan 15, 2011
SINGAPORE - Former swimming instructor Ho Yen Teck, who had conspired with two former Singapore Land Authority (SLA) senior executives to cheat the Government of $12 million, was sentenced to 10 years' jail on Friday - becoming the first of eight men involved in the scam to be dealt with by the courts.
Ho had pleaded guilty last month to 21 charges of conspiring with the SLA's former deputy director Koh Seah Wee and former manager Christopher Lim Chai Meng.
Ho had set up seven bogus companies which put up fictitious tenders for goods and maintenance services in the Government's procurement portal, GeBiz, although these were not needed.
The companies - out of 10 in all which were involved in the scam - received $9.8 million from the SLA with Ho allegedly pocketing $200,000. Ho made partial restitution of $59,590.
His lawyer, Mr Jackson Eng, had argued in court that Ho was just a puppet.
Mr Eng reiterated on Friday that Ho played only a minor role. In his client's mitigation plea, Mr Eng said that Ho, who has a young daughter, agreed to be part of the conspiracy due to financial difficulties and medical problems.
In sentencing, District Judge Jasvender Kaur noted that Ho did not receive a substantial share of the money and was a first offender.
But the judge pointed out that Ho had agreed to set up the companies despite knowing that they would be used for fraud.
She reiterated that Ho had "cheated a public institution of what the prosecution described as an astronomically large sum of public funds".
As Ho's role "was not one of a puppet", a deterrent sentence was necessary, the judge said.
Referring to the scam's alleged masterminds, the judge added: "They would not be successful without your participation and active facilitation."
Koh and Lim, who are both in remand, face 372 and 309 charges, respectively.
Their cases have been moved to the Supreme Court following an application by the prosecution.
A similar application was made in 2004 against Chia Teck Leng, the former finance manager of Asia Pacific Breweries, who was accused of cheating several banks of $117 million by creating fictitious and forged documents in the company's name. Chia was subsequently sentenced to 42 years in jail.
Copyright 2011 MediaCorp Pte Ltd All Rights Reserved
起诉商人追讨佣金 经纪败诉须退还16万元
起诉商人追讨佣金 经纪败诉须退还16万元
（2011-01-14）
● 傅丽云
从事钢铁业的商人何侨生，三年多前以3850万元"扫"下整栋豪华公寓的11个单位后，被房地产女经纪指拖欠三分之二的佣金。何侨生坚称从没答应过要付佣金，而他较早付的16万余元是预支给女经纪的贷款，女经纪理当归还这笔钱。
经4天审讯，高庭法官李兆坚认为女经纪证词不可靠，并以房屋经纪向买家收取佣金很不寻常、女经纪的"故事版本"因此甚为罕见为由，判女经纪败诉，令她退还原先收取的16万余元"佣金"，以及偿还何侨生的讼费。
追讨贷款反诉成功的何侨生（65岁）是在2007年10月，买下纽顿路一带一个新的公寓项目Three Buckley
Residences。这个永久地契项目，只有一栋大楼。
起诉人胡双美（Agnes Foo，45岁）三年前接受报章访问时称，因成功卖出这项目，她从发展商和买家那里各获得约40万元的佣金，买家还送她一辆23万元的跑车答谢她。
何侨生接受本报访问时，一口否认送过车子给起诉人。他透露，公寓已于去年9月完工，目前租出，正等待买家，"希望有人可以一次过买下。"
起诉人原为一家房地产买卖公司的助理经理，现已离职，本报昨天无法联络上她。
根据李兆坚法官日前发表的书面判决，起诉人称何侨生同意付她43万7870元的佣金，却只付了16万6000元，因此还欠她约27万1913元。
不过，何侨生的说法是，他买公寓时女经纪帮他减价，省了146万元左右。女经纪后来确定已为他找到买家，他因此同意如果转售成功，就会支付女经纪相当于他所省的146万元的30%的佣金，即44万元左右。
2007年5月，当时负责公寓项目融资的大华银行助理副总裁刘雷，通知起诉人该项目即将登场，起诉人要促销的话行动必须快，因为发展商将委任独家代理人。
起诉人通过父亲，认识何侨生的哥哥何龙星。后者同意帮忙穿线，但起诉人须付他佣金。
2007年9月，何侨生签订买卖合约。那年12月和隔年9月，他分别支付了14万6000元和两万元给起诉人，不过诉辩双方对这两笔钱各有说词。
起诉人声称，她成功把每平方英尺1650元的价格，减至1550元；刘雷后来也协助何侨生，把100万元的印花税减至77万元。她为何侨生省约146万元，后者同意支付这笔钱的30%。
2007年11月，起诉人以刘雷和何龙星催促她还佣金，要求何侨生预付三分之一的款项（14万6000元）。尽管她多次要求对方偿还剩余的佣金，对方迟迟不给，约一年后，何侨生才给另两万元。
何侨生则表明从没作出上述佣金的承诺，并认为这是很荒谬的说法，因为起诉人将从发展商那里获得佣金。而起诉人声称会不费力气，以较高价将公寓转售出去。基于这理由，他才同意如果转售成功，就会支付那30%的钱。
针对第一笔款项，他说，起诉人于2007年12月要求他预付佣金，因为她必须支付介绍房产给她的人，还声称已找到一个买家，交易就快到手。
因起诉人的这番话，他才答应先把钱垫出，并认定如果交易失败，起诉人就会退钱。至于第二笔款项，他说，起诉人打电话给他，要求再预支4万元给她偿还一些开销，还一再表明已找到买家。但他只给两万元。
针对起诉人说何侨生在还未获得选购权前，曾口头承诺付她佣金，法官认为，当时何侨生只是在考虑，还没形成合约，单单这点就对何侨生有利。何侨生的代表律师是许廷芳。
法官也指出，起诉人在受盘问时如果觉得难以招架，就会倾向改变证词，显示证词不可靠，而何侨生指他以为女经纪会从卖方那里得到佣金的说法较让人信服。
法官说，从还没到手的收益来看，女经纪要的佣金占整栋公寓3850万元买价的1.14%，算是相当高的。而何侨生说女经纪向他确保已找到买家，他才同意在成功转售后支付佣金，这样的说法较符合商业的实际运作。
Thursday, January 6, 2011
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