Category: Singapuraku

100 Year Old Grandpa Still Fasts During Ramadan

He will be celebrating his 100th birthday in two weeks, which makes him one of the oldest Singaporeans around.

But with the month of Ramadan starting today, Mr Othman Nasir will not be having his usual birthday celebrations on June 20 because he will be fasting.

He told The New Paper that he wants to observe Ramadan because he is still capable of fulfilling his obligations as a Muslim.

His daughter, Madam Norlela Othman, 44, who is the youngest of his 10 children, said her father often fasts throughout Ramadan despite his advanced age.

Mr Othman, who was born in Batu Pahat in Johor, moved to Singapore in 1939 to serve in the British army.

His time spent in the army is what made him a disciplined and responsible man and father, said Madam Norlela.

Speaking from Mr Othman’s four-room flat in Tampines, where he has lived since 1984, the mother of four daughters said: “He was a strict father when we were growing up, especially with his words.”

It is this discipline that may have contributed to his longevity.

He eats plenty of vegetables and fruits. When he eats meat, it is mostly fish.

He also leads a relatively stress-free life, spending his free time reading the Quran.

Mr Othman still looks healthy at his age. Other than gout, he has no major illnesses.

His memory remains good although his hearing has weakened and his speech has slowed down considerably.

He used to be able to walk with the help of a walker, but has been using a wheelchair since a fall last year.

“If I were to tell my life story, it would be too long,” Mr Othman told TNP in Malay, with a chuckle.

After leaving the army, Mr Othman worked as a messenger.

He was then at a security company for 25 years before retiring in 1997.

Mr Othman has only vague memories of kampung life in Malaysia and Singapore, but he said he prefers life in Singapore today – everything is easier here.

His domestic helper, who wanted to be known only as Ms Setyani, has looked after him for eight years.

“Every two weeks or so, we take him out to get some fresh air,” said the 32-year-old Indonesian.

HARI RAYA CLOTHES

Madam Norlela, who works as an airline ticketing officer, said her father often asks to be taken to Geylang Serai and Beach Road, to places he remembers fondly.

“He used to take his children to Geylang during Ramadan to look for Hari Raya clothes” she added.

“And his old army quarters was at Beach Road.”

When asked about the birthday celebrations, Madam Norlela said she has nothing planned, but it is likely that her siblings and their families will break fast together with Mr Othman on that day.

The last day of Ramadan will be on July 5 in Singapore, the day before Hari Raya Puasa.

Source: www.tnp.sg

June 8, 2016
Ex-SMRT Employee ‘On The Run’ After Allegedly Pilfering $20,000

A former SMRT station manager allegedly pilfered $20,000 in cash from Tanah Merah station, and is being investigated by the police.

The man is said to be on the run, and no longer in the country.

A police spokesman confirmed that the rail operator had lodged a report last Wednesday. He added that investigations are under way.

The Straits Times understands that the missing money – largely from commuters wanting to top up their travel cards at the station office – had been siphoned over a period of several months.

The case came to light apparently through an internal audit. Sources said the alleged culprit had worked at SMRT for only two years.

When contacted, SMRT spokesman Patrick Nathan said the company has referred the case to the police and that he could not comment further.

Each day, more than three million trips are made by close to one million people on Singapore’s rail network. Observers estimate that if 3 per cent of the one million commuters topped up their travel cards by just $10 through the station office instead of the automated machines, the network would collect $300,000 in cash each day. And if the cash were to be evenly distributed, each station would be handling at least $3,000 a day, or $21,000 a week.

But according to insiders, busier stations could be handling much more than that.

Tanah Merah station, being an interchange where commuters go to and from Changi Airport, as well as Pasir Ris, Simei and Tampines, is one such busy station.

The Straits Times understands that by the time the missing money was discovered and the police report filed, the alleged perpetrator had already been away from Singapore for two months.

A source familiar with the work of a station manager said the handling of money is “based on trust”.

Source: The Straits Times

June 7, 2016
Deaf And Mute Foodcourt Cleaner Berated By Woman Intends To Quit His Job This Month

The deaf and mute cleaner who was berated by a woman at the Jem foodcourt is planning to quit his job this month.

The cleaner, Mr Png Lye Heng, 64, indicated to The Straits Times on Monday (June 6) that he wanted to leave because of the incident.

To communicate with reporters who interviewed him, he gestured “yes” or “no” to questions written in Chinese on a piece of paper.

When reporters asked him in writing if he intended to leave his job, he pointed to the response “yes”.

The incident at the Jurong shopping mall caught the public eye over the weekend. A video, posted by Facebook user Euphemia Lee showed a woman lashing out at a manager of the company providing cleaning services to the Jurong shopping mall foodcourt.

She can be heard berating the manager, who wanted to be known only as Steven: “If he’s (the cleaner) deaf, ask him don’t work, go home and sleep.

“Just ask the Government to feed him, go and be a beggar! I don’t care, he took my food!”

Mr Png said he has been “slightly hurt” by the scolding but had forgiven the woman, who was identified as by The New Paper as Ms Fong. He also said he had enjoyed working at the food court and did not find it difficult to work there.

Steven, the 51-year-old manager, told The Straits Times that Mr Png had not informed him of his intention to leave later this month, but that he had heard about it from the man’s colleagues. He added that Mr Png had been working at the foodcourt for about a year, and that in the past few days, customers had recognised Mr Png and gestured at him.

The manager said Mr Png was patient with foodcourt customers. He added that he had asked him if he wanted to wear a badge indicating his disability but he turned down the suggestion.

Source: The Straits Times

June 7, 2016
Faisal Manap: Ramadan Is Opportunity To Become Better Individuals

Assalamualaikum Wr. Wb.
May Peace Be Upon You

Ramadan Kareem to my fellow Muslims.

Please allow me to do a brief sharing regarding the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar (a total of 12 months). During this month, fasting is made obligatory to all Muslims who have reached the age of puberty.

Now you may ask why do Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan?

The feeling of hunger and thirst that one experience during fasting will help one to develop compassion for those who are less fortunate and underprivileged. It also allow one to build up a sense of self-control and willpower.

The holy month of Ramadan is also a period for Muslims to enhance or ‘recharge’ our spirituality through inner reflection and devotion to God which leads to a greater sense of humility.

With better self-control, willpower, compassion and humility, one will then be able to become an individual who will benefit his community and nation.

Source: Muhammad Faisal Abdul Manap

June 6, 2016
Indonesia Activists Apologise For Planning Demonstration At Singapore Embassy

The group supporting Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama on Sunday (Jun 5) apologised for planning to stage a demonstration in front of the Singapore embassy in Jakarta.

Singgih Widiyastono, one of the founders of Teman Ahok, or “Friends of Ahok”, said he regretted that the group reacted in a provocative manner when two of its members, Amalia Ayuningtyas and Richard Saerang, were questioned by Singapore officials on Saturday.

“We issued a statement saying that we will deploy a mass movement. We were just being emotional because (Amalia and Richard) were supposed to return home at 10pm, but they didn’t,” said Mr Singgih during a news conference held at the Friends of Ahok secretariat in Jakarta on Sunday (Jun 5).

Teman Ahok is a volunteer-run group campaigning for Mr Basuki’s attempt to contest as an independent candidate in Jakarta’s gubernatorial election next year.

On Saturday, the group said that if Amalia and Richard were not released immediately, it would go to the Singapore embassy in Jakarta with its “entire strength that the Friends of Ahok possesses.”

Their threat went viral on social media. Numerous social media posts in Indonesia had alleged that the two Indonesian activists were detained at Changi Airport.

The Singapore Embassy in Jakarta on Sunday denied claims that they were detained, saying the pair were denied entry into Singapore as they were intending to carry out political activities in the city-state.

“Two members of ‘Teman Ahok’ were not detained while they were in Singapore,” said the statement issued by the embassy. “They arrived in Singapore on Jun 4, 2016, and were interviewed by Singapore officials.

“They informed immigration authorities that they were in Singapore to conduct political activities including raising campaign funds. They were therefore denied entry into Singapore and arrangements were made for them to return to Indonesia,” it said.

The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore also issued a statement saying that the pair were “not detained” in Singapore, and reiterated that “Singapore law forbids political activities from being conducted in Singapore, and this law should be respected”.

The statement added: “The embassy had been in communication with Singapore authorities to facilitate their return to Jakarta on Jun 4, 2016. However, because of technical difficulties in the field, the two activists could not return on the last Garuda flight departing Singapore and would depart on the first Garuda flight out of Singapore on Jun 5, 2016, instead.

“Singapore immigration authorities had provided accommodation and sufficient services to the two activists,” the statement said.

The two Indonesians arrived back in Jakarta at 11am on Sunday.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 6, 2016