Category: Singapuraku

HDB Investigating Makeshift ‘Childcare Centre’ In Toa Payoh Flat

A night-time “childcare centre” has been operating at a Housing Board flat in Toa Payoh, caring for up to 10 children.

Residents at the block told Shin Min Daily News that parents take their kids to the flat every day after 6pm.

The children are of primary school age, with some five years old, Shin Min reported on Saturday (March 11). Some are reportedly driven there by their parents, while others are dropped off by the school bus.

“The children usually stay there for some hours. Some even spend the night there, and the parents pick them up the next day,” said the resident whose name was not given.

Shin Min visited the block and a resident who declined to be named said that the owner of the flat had started renting it out one or two years ago.

“After the tenant moved in, occasionally I’ll see a woman taking her kids there.”

Another resident who declined to be named told Shin Min that he hears the sound of children running in the unit every night.

He said he previously asked the tenant of the unit about the situation. The tenant reportedly said he let them run to expend their energy.

Other residents said the family was friendly and the children polite.

Shin Min observed that the two shoe racks outside the flat were stacked with shoes and slippers, many of them kid-sized.

When asked by Shin Min, a male tenant at the flat in question denied that he was running a “childcare centre”.

He explained: “I’m just helping my friends look after their kids, there are more than 10 of them. I receive some money to help out with family expenses.”

The man, who is in his 50s, said that the parents who take their kids there are from China. These parents want to let their children have an environment where they can learn English, and he would speak the language to them.

The man added that he resorted to this as he had been unemployed for six years.

He was previously an art teacher in Hong Kong and Macau, where he lived for more than 10 years.

When he returned to Singapore, he could not find a job.

“I have a son who has attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at home, so I give tuition at home, and help my friends look after their kids, to pay the bills.”

He said he was not robbing anyone, and that it was not easy to get a job at his age.

Shin Min checked with the landlord, who said she was unaware of the activities going on and would immediately find out more from the housing agent.

A spokesman for the HDB told The Straits Times yesterday (March 11) that flats are for residential use.

“While residents may use their flats to carry out home-based small scale informal businesses under the Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme, childcare centres are not allowed,” said the spokesman.

The spokesman said HDB had not previously received feedback about childcare services being provided in the flat in question.

“We are investigating the case with the relevant authorities,” said HDB.

Source: ST

March 11, 2017
BKE Fatal Accident: Two Motorcyclists Dead, Six Hospitalised, Van Driver Arrested

At least two motorcyclists died and six were injured in a collision involving nine motorcycles and a van along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) on Saturday (March 11) afternoon.

The 25-year-old van driver was arrested for a rash act causing death. His driving licence will be suspended with immediate effect, the police said.

The two motorcyclists, aged 34 and 50, were pronounced dead at the scene. Six other injured motorcyclists were conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Police said they were alerted to the accident at 3.49pm.

Videos posted on Facebook and circulated on WhatsApp show at least two police tents at the area under the Seletar Expressway (SLE) flyover, towards Woodlands near the SLE exit.

According to a message circulating on WhatsApp, the motorcyclists had sought shelter under the flyover due to the rain when the accident occurred.

The video accompanying the message shows six men sprawled on the ground, with two bleeding.

Another video, posted by Facebook user Aishah Osman, shows police vehicles at the scene, with at least nine motorcycles at the side. Some of them had toppled over and looked damaged. An ambulance was also seen.

At 6.24pm when ST went down to the scene, the area had been cordoned off by police, and traffic police investigators were on site.

Relatives of the casualties were also there.

BKE accident: Motorcycle being removed from site

One motorcyclist who had been taking shelter from the rain and whose bike had been slightly damaged told ST that “it was chaotic”.

Investigations are ongoing.

The police have urged the public not to circulate photos or videos of the deceased, out of respect for the families.

Source: ST

March 11, 2017
Punching Bag For The Rich: Maid Slapped, Punched, Whacked With Canes By Wealthy Employers

A married couple were sentenced to jail after a 14-day trial, which revealed the numerous ways they had assaulted their Indonesian maid for almost two years.

Addressing the man, Tay Wee Kiat, 39, just before delivering the sentence, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said: “It is clear that you are the main perpetrator.”

He then sentenced the former regional IT manager to two years and four months in jail after convicting him of all 12 charges.

Nine of the charges were for causing hurt to Ms Fitriyah, 34, who had worked for them in Yishun Avenue 6 from Dec 7, 2010 to Dec 12, 2012.

The other three were for abetting his Myanmar maid Moe Moe Than, 28, to slap the Indonesian helper on the face; offering to pay Ms Fitriyah her salary and send her home in exchange for not reporting his offence of abuse; and instructing Ms Fitriyah to lie to the police that he did not abuse the other maid.

Tay’s wife, former senior sales manager Chia Yun Ling, 41, now a part-time events administrator, was sentenced to two months’ jail for slapping Ms Fitriyah sometime between June and December 2012, and punching her on the forehead on Dec 7 that year.

During the trial, the court heard that Tay hit the Indonesian’s head with canes and bamboo sticks.

In one incident in February 2011, as punishment, he stuffed an incense bottle into her mouth and forced her to stand for half an hour on one leg on a stool, holding another stool overhead.

Ms Than testified that Tay forced her and Ms Fitriyah to get down on all fours and then kicked their backsides.

He also made them slap each other 10 times and hit them with three tied-up canes.

Seeking a sentence of at least 33 months’ jail for Tay and a minimum three months for Chia, Deputy Public Prosecutors Kumaresan Gohulabalan and Dora Tay cited several aggravating factors such as their abuse of authority.

“He virtually treated Fitriyah as a punching bag upon which he could vent his frustrations on matters that had nothing to do with her,” said the prosecutors.

Both are appealing and are out on $5,000 bail each.

In an advisory last night, a spokesman for the Ministry of Manpower urged foreign domestic worker (FDW) employers to be patient and understanding towards their helpers.

“If employers or FDWs are facing problems with their employment relationship, they should approach their employment agency, or call the Centre for Domestic Employees at 1800 2255 233 for advice and assistance,” he said.

Source: TNP

March 11, 2017
Singaporeans At The Centre Of Budget, COS Debates: Halimah

Amid the intense discussions about the big picture, and the nuts and bolts of Government programmes and policies, Members of Parliament (MPs) have — over the past fortnight — “never lost sight” of Singaporeans and the country, said Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob yesterday as she wrapped up the Budget and Committee of Supply (COS) debates.

Adding that this shone through very clearly, she reminded the House that “this is as it should be”.

“Singapore and our fellow Singaporeans … are always at the centre of it all,” she said.

Madam Halimah noted that the Budget statement was delivered against the backdrop of “a world in the grips of growing uncertainty in the global economy brought about by disruptive technologies and innovation, and the accompanying rise of populism and protectionist sentiments in a number of countries”.

Despite having different political beliefs, MPs from the ruling People’s Action Party and the opposition Workers’ Party came together “for matters touching on the country’s interests”, said Madam Halimah, who noted a “convergence of views … when it comes to protecting our sovereignty”. This could also be seen at overseas parliamentary meetings when Members are representing Singapore, she said.

While praising the MPs for their “sharp, incisive minds that have become a hallmark of our Parliament”, Madam Halimah did have a quibble: “If only Members could learn to do away with long preambles and go straight to the point raised in their questions and clarifications, they would not need to deliver their speeches at breakneck speeds.”

There were a total of 545 cuts filed by MPs for the COS this year — a 9 per cent increase from last year and the highest in five years, said Leader of the House Grace Fu. The increase “speaks to the scale of the challenges we face and the dedication of the Members”, said Ms Fu, who is the Culture, Community and Youth Minister.

Ms Fu said that the Budget came at a time when Singapore has to grapple with, and adapt to, changes. Businesses are bracing themselves for “difficult economic headwinds”, while workers are not concerned with just the short-term outlook on the job situation, but also their longer-term prospects.

Hence, it came as “no surprise” that the Ministry of Manpower topped the list of total speech time for the cuts filed, with Members spending a significant amount of time scrutinising the Committee on the Future Economy initiatives, while others raised questions about how to help workers, and small and medium enterprises, she added.

Ms Fu said she disagreed with the view of some MPs that the public service may have “lost its heart”. The Public Service is “bound closely to the people it serves”, with public servants across the sectors working hard to “transform our economy, safeguard our security, protect our environment, and build an inclusive society”, she stressed.

“But the Government does not have all the answers, and we cannot steer this ship alone … If we all have that ‘heart’, that desire to forge a better future for all Singaporeans, we can build a stronger, a big-hearted Singapore,” said Ms Fu, urging businesses, unions, community organisations and individuals to work together.

Source: Today

March 10, 2017
Commentary: Friday Sermon Feels A Little Scripted

Salam admin dan semua,

If you would have been in the mosque earlier, you would have heard todays khutbah which is quite short and straight to the point in my opinion. But in a way, don’t you agree that it feels a little scripted?

The sermon can be found in MUIS website too if you don’t believe. Heh kind of timely too right?

Assalamualaikum.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
10 March 2017 /11 Jamadil Akhir 1438H
A Comprehensive Understanding of Religion

Dear respected Friday Jemaah,
Let us have taqwa to Allah s.w.t. with the utmost taqwa. Know that every action that we do in this world will be judged and every word that we utter will be weighed in the Hereafter.
Dear Jemaah,
The sermon last week affirmed the importance for a Muslim to obtain a true and correct understanding with regards to his or her religion. There are numerous verses from the Quran and Sunnah that emphasize the importance of understanding the meaning behind a religious text. Allah s.w.t. mentions in the Quran:

Which means: “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.”
The Prophet s.a.w. also once said: “When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of religion.” (Hadith narrated by Bukhari/Muslim)
This guidance from Allah s.w.t. and the Prophet s.a.w. assert the importance of thinking about, observing and understanding (tafaqquh) the teachings of Islam thoroughly. Why is this so, dear Jemaah? It is because religious texts like the Quran and Hadith are open to various interpretations. Like it or not, we are indirectly affected and influenced by our surroundings, lifestyle and the culture of thought of the society as well as the period that we live in. There is a reason for every action taken, spoken or otherwise and this includes religious texts like the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet s.a.w. It is on this basis, therefore, to understand a particular religious text, we must know its background and context. This gives us a more accurate picture regarding the meaning of that particular religious text. Consequently, if we fail to understand the background of a verse from the Quran or Hadith, it is feared that we might use it as a basis for something it is not meant for, or worse, for something that stands in direct opposition. This ‘ilm is known as Asbabun Nuzul and it discusses reasons behind the revelations of the Quranic verses as well as explains its context and backstory. Whereas the ‘ilm that discusses the context and background of Hadith is known as ‘ilm Asbabul Wurud. Mastery of these two disciplines will provide us with a clearer picture on the background of a particular Quranic verse or Prophetic hadith.
Dear Jemaah,
Understanding background and context is not only limited to religious texts. It is also required to understand the writings of the ‘ulama.
It is undeniable that the ‘ulama have left behind an immense wealth of knowledge for us to inherit. They have contributed in enriching our religious thought and put tremendous effort in producing various publications to provide explanation on religious matters and religious texts. However, dear Jemaah, when reading these writings, we may find statements or interpretations that seem to be in opposition to the realities of life in this era. If we put that particular interpretation into practice, it will not only cause confusion but also bring with it negative consequences.
For example, when flipping through the pages of fiqh books by ‘ulama hundreds of years ago, we find that some of them give special attention to the ruling that it is compulsory to migrate from a non-Islamic country (Darul Harb) which means a country in conflict and migrate to an ‘Islamic country’ also known as the “Darul Islam”.
The opinions stated by these jurists were shaped by the social as well as political conditions of their times that differ from the reality of life in this era. Their writings were intended to give an explanation to a people who lived in a world that witnessed persistent conflicts between different religions. It was a time when it was unimaginable that Muslims would be able to live peacefully with non-Muslims in a single country.
However with the shift in the political system, as well as the concept of modern citizenship, and through the application of international law, people today are given the rights to travel freely and reside in a nation regardless of their religious or ethnic background, contesting the suitability of the classical classification of the world as explained in traditional fiqh. This is the view of many contemporary ‘ulama such as Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah and others.
Hence dear Jemaah, understanding the background of the socio-religious and socio-political context as well as the reality of life that surrounds a particular writing will provide the reader a comprehensive picture of why such a statement or fatwa was given.
This explanation is important as we find a group of people in this day and age, who, without observing the context or background of a particular religious text or writings of the ‘ulama, seem to lose faith in religion and themselves. Some of them claim that the administrative system of the different nations today are un-Islamic simply because it is not a caliphate or an ‘Islamic state’. And that Muslims who live in places like Singapore are unable to practice their faith fully. This results in the extraction of the views of classical scholars who lived hundreds of years ago and in a specific context to be practiced in today’s 21st century.
Therefore, whenever we read or receive an opinion that was taken from classical ‘ulama, we must discuss them with local and contemporary scholars who understand the condition and context of the world we live in so as to obtain proper advice and further guidance.
It is not our intention to claim that the views of classical ‘ulama are incorrect or have no value. However, we have to admit that their views which were suitable for their particular needs and time might not be suitable for us today.
May we be considered to be among those who the Prophet s.a.w. characterised as people who Allah s.w.t. bequeathed understanding of religion and that He blesses us with Taufiq to practice religion according to His commands and guidance. Amin.

Md Solehin

Reader’s Contribution

March 10, 2017