Actually, there's no fastest bank. Like someone mentioned, if your bank account is in the same bank as your company's account - then you get your salary on the same day that the bank processes the payment instruction.

If you and your company have accounts with different banks, the it has to go through the common interbank settlement process, which take 2 working days IIRC.

And I think you are seeing the float amount in your bank account. The float amount appears in your statement usually the same day that the payment request is processed, but the actual funds are not available until a day or two later after settlement.

Lastly, most MNCs will pay salaries a working day or two earlier if the payroll date falls on a bank holiday.

I personally use DBS/POSB for the sheer number of branches and atms. Their online banking is pretty good, one of the few where you pay bills and GIRO from credit card instead of savings. I also have Maybank iSavvy and Std Chartered e$aver for the high interest rates.

Ok, fair enough.

A factor of the paying bank used by your company, rather than the receiving one. For my company, POSB accounts holders receive their salary a day faster.

Dunno. I just signed up with the one which had a roadshow near my office and I could do all the paperwork in one shot.

Not sure what you mean by better... most people won't have multiple brokerage accounts and can't make a comparison.

Why don't you call up MOM and ask them what your options are?

I think it's unethical for the company to apply for your EP before you agreed to their offer, but that's exactly what the online application allows them to do.

When you talk to MOM, ask them whether you (as the alleged EP holder) can cancel the outstanding EP in-principle approval based on a police report or statutory declaration that your particulars and personal information were fraudulently misused by the company without your consent. In my mind, this is akin to someone misusing your photocopied IC to apply for a loan.

You are right, of course. Life does tend to take the path of least resistance.

But there is another option... change the status quo. Those of us who are overseas do what we can. I go home to vote in the election and blogged to carry my views to those in Malaysia. The blog attracted several police reports during the last election, so my stategy must be making some difference.

I have not given up hope of returning to Malaysia. Things are changing because of 2 reasons. Firstly, decent people are fair-minded. Some day the larger Malay community will realise that ''maruah'' means self respect, not pride. You cannot attain self respect without being inscrutably fair.

Secondly, the country is running out of money. The handouts will have to stop when there's none left to hand out. Then they will have to start 'creating' wealth instead of being obsessed with 'taking' it.

I blog anonymously. I'm not running for office what.

No, I don't. Don't have a clue what Hxxtxxxn might stand for.

I agree. My previous landlord was a young Singaporean couple. They were pretty reasonable and accommodating. Current landlord is a middle aged Malaysian couple. Also not bad. But then again I rent the whole place, so I see them only like twice a year.

But when I was studying in KL, I stayed with 3 different families. All 3 had their own issues. The first one was too profit oriented. Always trying to fit more tenants in and make us share with more people. The second one was a very nice family, and the little kids were very cute and fun. But the place was too far from school. That last place was right behind the school, but had to live with an old lady and her 40 year old spinster daughter. Needless to say, they imposed A LOT of rules.

I always thought Apple has strictly controlled prices. What more if it's an Apple store.

This post has been edited by seantang: Sep 2 2010, 08:56 PM

Anyone know when the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be coming to Singapore? And how much.

This post has been edited by seantang: Sep 5 2010, 10:02 AM

I think HDB can only ask HDB buyers to make a declaration. There's really no way for them to check what your assets are overseas.

A trap that can never be sprung as long they keep their mouth shut, in my opinion.

Oh well... if your career is going well, you won't be qualified to buy HDBs anyway by the time/age you're ready to settle down.

Margins on private property are considerably higher and not subject to all the conditions and legislative vagaries like HDB units. Buying HDB comes with a significant forced-holding risk, especially to straight speculators and transient PRs like us.

Perfect examples of those who just got stuffed by that risk are those who bought HDBs recently at record prices and COVs. They are kicking themselves silly now.

This post has been edited by seantang: Sep 5 2010, 04:44 PM

Studio apartments in JB? What's the value proposition? Studios typically only work economically when an acute lack of space (eg. CBD) happens to coincide with built up prices ($/sq ft) that have hit an affordability ceiling AND is able to tap a market of affluent AND transient individuals who value location/facilities more than room.

The golden rule when dealing with any service or counter staff concerning your eligibility for something... is always to ask "and then?" multiple times.

Just call to check what's the required ID before you actually go and queue up.

But when I was on EP, I always bring my passport to do anything formal. Regardless of whether I think they are doing a good job or not, I don't want to be an idiot and do multiple trips because I wanted to test the system and leave my passport at home.

In the case of mobile SIM cards, apparently the service providers can refuse to provide services to you if they are not satisfied of your identity for any reason. Blame it on the terrorists who used mobile phones to do their thing.

Even today when my blue IC is usually enough for any registrations, I usually carry a bill or invoice or something in my wallet as proof of billing address. I'm one of those people who got away with using my office address as my IC address because I was still living in a hotel when I got my PR. So when they see the address on my IC with only 5 words, "xx Orchard Road, Singapore, postcode"... they always do a double take and ask for proof of billing.

Like I mentioned, the point is to verify your identity.

If the chaps at Starhub are satisfied with just your EP, then it's their prerogative.

Wow... you're acclimatising to being Singaporean very quickly indeed.

I'm flying back tomorrow afternoon. Limited seats on the planes. No matter the occasion, the jam will only be as bad as the number of available seats