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Category: Singapuraku

  • Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council Found Guilty Of Holding Festive Trade Fair Without Permit

    Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council Found Guilty Of Holding Festive Trade Fair Without Permit

    The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC), run by the opposition Workers’ Party, was on Friday (Nov 28) found guilty of holding a festive trade fair, without permit, earlier this year.

    At the heart of the case, is whether the town council, flouted Section 35 of the Environmental Public Health Act, by holding a Chinese New Year fair, without a permit. The National Environment Agency, prosecuting the case, said it did.

    The town council, represented by lawyer Peter Low, challenged the charge. Among the defence was the argument that the event was simply a “mini-fair” which does not require a permit. It  also took issue with the need to get a letter of support to organise the fair, from the area’s Citizens’ Consultative Committee, which is chaired by a People’s Action Party grassroots leader.

    The judge ruled on Friday that since Section 35 of the Act created a strict liability offence, this means prosecution does not need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that AHPETC deliberately did not intend to obtain a permit to hold its fair.

    As for the defence’s argument that AHPETC can hold events without a permit in common areas that it manages, the judge said it seems the town council’s objection was related to the suitability of the application form and not the fact that a permit was required. He said the court is not an appropriate forum to examine conditions tied to the permit application form.

    Commenting on the decision, AHPETC Vice Chairman Pritam Singh said: “We’re disappointed with the verdict. We will take advice from our lawyers as to the next course of action going forward. We won’t rule anything out.”

    He added that no town council funds were used with respect to this case, saying: “The MPs are contributing to the lawyers’ fees.”

    The court was adjourned until Dec 24 for mitigation and sentencing.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Childcare Teacher Sentenced To 3-Weeks Jail

    Childcare Teacher Sentenced To 3-Weeks Jail

    The childcare centre teacher who was filmed grabbing a two-year-old boy then dropping him onto the floor last July was jailed three weeks on Thursday (Nov 27).

    Siti Hadijah Mohamed Sin, 52, who was a teacher with My First Skool childcare centre, at Block 192, Toa Payoh Lorong 4, had heaved the boy backward onto the floor twice, causing him to suffer a fractured leg.

    About 20 of her family members turned up in court and gave her a teary send-off.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Little India Riot Instigator Gets 3-Strokes Of The Cane

    Little India Riot Instigator Gets 3-Strokes Of The Cane

    A man who was involved in the Little India riot on Dec 8 last year was sentenced to receive three strokes of the cane on Friday (Nov 28), to add to a 25-month prison sentence he had earlier received.

    Indian national Samiyappan Sellathurai was previously sentenced to 25 months imprisonment on Aug 14 for his involvement in the riot.

    But Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo told the High Court before Justice Chan Seng Onn that Samiyappan’s imprisonment term was “manifestly inadequate”, given that the 42-year-old had not only participated in the riot, but had also instigated the crowd.

    “The respondent instigated others to help him remove a concrete slab that was used to pave the ground. The Respondent had tried to do so on his own but failed, as the slab was heavy and stuck to the ground. After the crowd joined in — in response to the respondent’s instigation — the concrete slab was dislodged.

    “During the time frame between 10.09pm and 10.19pm, the respondent threw a total of eight pieces of concrete in the direction of the public vehicles and public servants. The crowd, which prior to this was non-violent, followed the respondent’s lead and started to dislodge other concrete slabs, break them and used them as projectiles.

    “The respondent then continued his streak of creating chaos and unrest by inciting others to help carry a small metal rack and ram it against a side wall of the Little India MRT station,” DPP Sellakumaran told the court while showing a video of CCTV footage taken at the time of the riot.

    A total of 25 individuals have been charged in court since for their respective roles and involvement in the riot in Little India.

    Before meting out the sentence on the grounds that Samiyappan had instigated the crowds and also vandalised public property, Justice Chan said that Samiyappan was “considered lucky” that the prosecution had not appealed for a longer prison term.

    “Viewing the video, it is clear that the respondent was the ringleader and instigated the crowd. In this case of rioting, vandalism was involved. Not only vandalism but destruction of government property,” Justice Chan said.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Budding MMA Fighter Sharil Salim Passed Away

    Budding MMA Fighter Sharil Salim Passed Away

    SINGAPORE – He fought hardship growing up as an orphan. He was hoping to make it big as a fighter in the boxing ring. But all that came to nought when, on the cusp of his big day, he ended up facing a protracted fight to live.

    Sadly, Shahril Salim lost that battle – and Singapore lost a potential star. The budding local boxer died on Nov 27, two years after a collapse during training left him with a serious brain injury.

    The 23-year-old former ITE College East student had been preparing to make his debut in a show at Marina Bay Sands in November 2012 when tragedy struck during a group sparring session at the Juggernaut Fight Club in Boat Quay.

    He had been bedridden and unable to speak since the incident and had to be fed through a tube in his nose.

    On Nov 27, he developed a high fever at his sister’s home in Jurong West and stopped breathing in the ambulance. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Singapore General Hospital.

    We look back at his fighting spirit through reports from The Straits Times Archives.

    Shahril’s rocky road to the ring spurs him to succeed

    THE REPORT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE STRAITS TIMES ON OCT 12, 2012

    Boxer Shahril Salim, smiling and affable before, lowers his voice when asked why he got into the fight game. Those around him also fall silent as he tells the story.

    “I am an orphan and this is my chance to do something after all the struggles I have been through in my life,” says the 21-year-old.

    “My dad passed away when I was nine through illness and my mum died when I was 10.

    “After that I shifted from one house to another to stay with relatives. I was very close to being sent to an orphanage but my sister Lisa took me in. She had 10 children and adults staying in her four-room flat but did her best and gave me what she could.”

    The sense of hurt and hardship is clear in his voice, even as he sits and talks as a strong and powerful man about to make his professional boxing debut at Marina Bay Sands on Nov 9.

    Click here to read the full story.

    Boxer fights for life after collapsing before debut

    THE REPORT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE STRAITS TIMES ON NOV 9, 2012

    Shahril Salim was supposed to be making his debut as a professional boxer at Marina Bay Sands tonight. Instead, the 21-year-old is now fighting for his life at the Singapore General Hospital.

    He was rushed to hospital for emergency brain surgery on Oct 28 after collapsing following a group sparring session at the Juggernaut Fight Club in Boat Quay.

    Click here to read the full story.

    Shahril fighting for his future, one day at a time

    THE REPORT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE STRAITS TIMES ON JAN 20, 2013

    Shahril Salim can only blink slowly to communicate. One day, he may be able to learn to walk again. For now, the smallest movement in the tips of his fingers seems an exquisite gift.

    At the Bright Vision Hospital on Lorong Napiri in Hougang, the 22-year-old boxer is recovering from a brain injury suffered in a sparring session on Oct 28.

    Spencer Oliver, one of Britain’s most promising boxers who went into a coma after being knocked out in a fight in 1998, understood Shahril’s plight.

    The Briton, who works as a television pundit and runs his own gym, said: “It sounds like Shahril has real fighting spirit and I hope that he continues to get better.

    Click here to read the full story.

    Shahril’s not throwing in the towel

    THE REPORT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE STRAITS TIMES ON NOV 2, 2013

    Twelve months after the accident that stole his boxing dreams, the former ITE College East student’s struggle continues.

    “Some doctors told us that he was on the verge of dying and that they had done everything that they could,” explained his brother, Jufri, who takes care of Shahril along with his wife Surayah Akbar, their three children and a maid in a three-room Housing Board flat in New Upper Changi Road.

    “But he kept fighting and can still respond to us. He can’t talk but he can raise his hands to answer a question or blink his eyes.

    “We ask him if he wants to carry on and he always says ‘yes’.

    “He is inside his body but can’t get out and we will help him for as long as it takes.”

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Lee Hsien Loong: Singapore Must Build A Fair And Just Society

    Lee Hsien Loong: Singapore Must Build A Fair And Just Society

    The Republic must build a fair and just society which values every individual – regardless of their circumstances, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a speech at the 50th anniversary gala dinner of SPD on Thursday evening (Nov 27).

    SPD looks after the interests of those with physical disabilities and provides them social support and employment opportunities.

    Mr Lee said organisations like SPD serve as a reminder of what Singapore aspires to be as a society. “Our society should value every person, no matter who he is, what he was born with or without, because every person matters to us. And these are the basic principles that should guide us as we build a fair and just society,” he said.

    Prime Minister Lee said the Government has been shifting its approach to social support. For instance, it is developing new policies which offer more social support for elderly, low-income and disadvantaged groups.

    But even as the Government steps up its efforts, Mr Lee said groups like the SPD continue to play a critical role. Mr Lee noted how the organisation has aided 4,700 beneficiaries each year. This includes helping youths with disabilities pursue their studies and training people with disabilities for jobs.

    At the gala dinner, several organisations were honoured for their support of SPD. Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation, Loyang Tua Pek Kong, NatSteel Holdings, Presto Expat Motoring Services and San Wang Wu Ti Religious Society received the inaugural SPD Patron Awards, given to donors who contributed at least S$100,000 thrice or more.

    Microsoft Singapore, StarHub Ltd and Far East Organization received the SPD Distinguished Patron Awards for their donation of over S$1 million to SPD.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com