Grab Wants to ‘Freely Compete’: 6 Topics S’poreans Are Talking About Today (31 Mar)

Yesterday was Good Friday, but it wasn’t good for some people: over in the western part of Singapore, strong thunderstorms uprooted trees and even damaged a nursery and a farm, injuring one person.

And if you were on your way to Malaysia, you should have spent a good amount of hours in your car as the jam, according to a video, is crazily long.

Here are six news stories that people in Singapore are talking about to help you break that awkward silence during dinner.

Grab Urge Government to Let them “Freely Compete”

It’s hard to get past a day without reading something about the Grab-Uber merger. If the transition had been slow, smooth and long, it would have been an easy one; but it isn’t.

With news of a sudden merger that had 500 employees packing their bags for paid leave, and Uber drivers being left in limbo, I won’t be surprised if you see another of this tomorrow.

In the latest development, Grab has urged the Government to let them “freely compete”. My interpretation of that is this: “Eh, Ah Gong don’t disturb leh.”

According to Channel News Asia, the head of Grab Singapore said this in a statement: “Improving services for commuters and drivers will always be our priority, and we urge the Government to allow us to freely compete and complement the dominant taxi business.”

You see, to them, they’re competing against taxis and also new players that might be entering the Singapore market soon.

Lest you’re not aware of what they’re talking about, read on.

Competition Commission of Singapore Issues Interim Measures While Reviewing Grab-Uber Merger

Here’s why Grab is urging the authorities to let them “compete freely”: because the merger itself might be against the Competition Act in Singapore.

Simply put, there is an act that prevents companies from monopolising the market, and because this merger looks to be doing so, the CCS is implementing temporary measures while they review the merger.

The measures include not sharing confidential information between the two parties and that Grab can’t force Uber drivers to join them exclusively.

One more measure is that prices shouldn’t increase as well (yay!).

You see, the CCS wasn’t officially notified of the merger before it happened, so it caught them by surprise (remember, all news before that were pure speculations). Grab will make an official notification notice to the CCS before 16 April and would cooperate with the commission.

This is the first time CCS has put in interim measures; but then again, this is the first time that something so big has occurred in Singapore.

So let’s cross our fingers (for what, I don’t know. Promo codes?)

Yesterday’s Thunderstorm Caused Heavy Damage to a Nursery and Farm

If you were in the west of Singapore yesterday in the afternoon, you would have experienced one of the strongest thunderstorms yesterday.

And I’m not talking about it figuratively, because of this.

Over in Lim Chu Kang, structures in Koon Lee Nursery collapsed and an employee was sent to the hospital. Building and Construction Authority officials were also there.

But the damage aren’t just in Lim Chua Kang, because elsewhere, trees collapsed as well.

Fallen Trees Caused Traffic Congestion in Bukit Batok and Chua Chu Kang

We all hoped for yet another Singapore winter but have forgotten about the by-product: heavy rains that disrupted traffic due to fallen trees.

Over in Bukit Batok Road and Chua Choa Kang, multiple trees collapsed, blocking several roads including Bukit Batok Road and Old Chua Choa Kang.

At Lim Chu Kang Road, fallen trees were also spotted, with one even covering a tomb.

So, anyone still hoping for the winter?

But this jam isn’t as bad as what you’re going to read soon.

Traffic to Malaysia so Jam Yesterday, People Allegedly Stuck for 6 hours Yesterday

Did you plan to have your lunch yesterday in JB? If so, by the time you reach JB, it might be dinnertime.

According to people who called in to the radio, drivers were stuck in the jam for up to six hours. This video, uploaded into Facebook group 新柔交通路况情报站, showed a person filming the jam from the opposite direction.

Uploaded on Friday morning, you would be surprised at the looooooong snaking queue at the causeway.

This could be due to the long weekends and that is also the Qing Ming Festival.

Now that it’s Saturday, is it better?

Here, take a look.

Oh, still got jam, but not that jialat lah. According to Google Maps, it takes about 56 minutes for the journey from Woodlands to City Square now (Saturday noon).

Now can go liao.

Toy Makers Are Also Suffering After Toy’R’Us Collaspe in the US

We all know about the Toy’R’Us bankruptcy in the US, but might have forgotten about something else: the toys would also get a hit as well.

According to a report, sales for the three biggest toy makers, Lego, Hasbo and Mattel, didn’t do well last year.

Lego has already dismissed 8% of their workforce last year, and earlier this month, it’s revealed that they had their first revenue decrease in 13 years.

It’s unknown whether mobile gaming had affected the toy industry, though in 2011, a kid just spent 5 minutes on a phone / tablet, while in 2017, he or she spent 49 minutes.

That’s…about 9 times more #justsaying

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This article was first published on goodyfeed.com

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