Category: Singapuraku

NSman With Serious Shoulder Injury Aggrieved To Be Unfairly Charged For Failing IPPT

Dear Editors,

I am 2SG Azizul Haikal bin Rahmat, Senior Medic from Kranji camp III – 31CSSB, 3Discom. I write this email in light of my pending SAF264 Charge tomorrow 22 October 2015 for defaulting my IPPT for the IPPT window 30/08/2014 to 29/08/2015.

Back in 2006 while enlisted in Pulau Tekong for BMT, I had injured my left shoulder during FBO SOC where said injury left me with a torn ligament supporting the Acromion and Collarbone. Went to seek medical attention and the MO cited that it was not a serious injury. Trusting the MO, being a medical officer I did not take further action and All throughout the duration have participated in the training despite feeling pain.

In 2007 while participating for training in my vocational unit Medical Response Force(MRF), I had aggravated the shoulder injury and again visited Medical Centre where the MO at Nee Soon camp cited the injury is not a serious case but X-ray was done. Again trusting the MO being a Medical Officer I did not pursue further medical attention at a specialist except the normal GP visits and self-medication through Heat therapy on the injured shoulder.

I have not been able to Pass a single IPPT since.

In 2012 during my ICT Call up, the shoulder injury had worsened and affected myself at work following the days after ICT. With the injury in mind and thinking I should take greater care to be able to carry out my vocational duty, I had opted to defer from any NS liability to pursue further study while saving up on funds to prepare for a shoulder reconstruction surgery. Attempted my IPPT and failing on account of my worsening shoulder injury. Having only attaining a part time job after the completion of my studies, working 2 part time jobs it is impossible for me to attend RT without risking termination from my job within the probation period.

On the days leading up to my summary trial on 09 October 2015 I had been in contact with Gleneagles bone health Specialist to do a primary medical examination for the consideration to proceed with surgery if that is the best course of action but the process is put on hold with the current ICT High Key 12 -23 Oct running.

On the 9th October attending the summary trial I was given a Harsh reprimanding by the S4* I did not manage to note down the Name and ID of the officer. I was also advised to book the current window RT sessions and complete all sessions before 29/08/2016.

My question is, why is it that having serve my duty responsibly and diligently despite my injury i am being penalised for failing IPPT with only the option of paying $400 and more depending on Rank or going to Detention Barrack(DB)?

i have tried to tag this post to PM Lee, Mr Ng Eng Hen and Dr. Maliki Osman but unable to. Please assist to bring forth my issue as i feel it may help those in my similar situation.

Azizul Haikal
A.S.S. Contributor

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

October 22, 2015
Judge: Woman Dismissed From Civil Service In 1998 Cannot Start Another Legal Action Without High Court’s Permission

Over the past 15 years, Madam Linda Lai Swee Lin has appeared before 10 High Court judges and had five hearings in the highest court of the land over one matter: Her dismissal from the Civil Service in 1998.

On Monday, Justice Woo Bih Li agreed with the Attorney-General (AG) that enough is enough, and invoked a provision against Mdm Lai, 59, as a “vexatious litigant”.

This means she needs to ask the High Court for permission to start another legal action related to her dismissal. Normally, a litigant just needs to file papers with the registry.

It is rare for the AG to invoke such a provision.

One previous case happened in 2007 when a property agent convicted of giving false evidence started at least half a dozen legal actions related to the case. In his judgment grounds released on Wednesday (Oct 21), Justice Woo said that it is “apparent that (she) is unwilling or unable to come to terms with any decision of the court that goes against her”.

Mdm Lai had, however, disputed this, saying she was pursuing the matter because her career was compromised and her reputation was tarnished when she was wrongly accused of being incompetent in her job, among other things.

The slew of court applications filed by Mdm Lai started in January 2000, slightly over a year after she was dismissed from her job as a senior officer at the Land Office under the Ministry of Law – the termination came after her one-year probation was retrospectively extended.

Since then, Mdm Lai, who has a Master’s in Law, took up legal action against various parties – including the Government, the AG , and the Public Service Commission – one after another, although the issues in question had been decided by the courts.

Citing Mdm Lai’s persistent and baseless attempts to re-litigate the matter through various court applications, Justice Woo wrote that she was doing so “in the hope that some court may subsequently rule in her favour”.

Vexatious litigation causes problems “because it diverts the court’s resources from dealing with meritorious disputes”, he added.

The judge also stressed that such orders balance the public interest in preventing abuses of the court process and a litigant’s right to pursue avenues of recourse he is statutorily entitled to.

Justice Woo said: “In my view, her legal battle has gone on for too long. It is in the interest of the court, society in general, the AG and Mdm Lai herself that I grant the AG’s application. It is my sincerest hope and desire that this order will help Mdm Lai move on with her life.”

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

October 22, 2015
Mohamed Jufrie: Failure Of Opposition To Let Voters Have Their Cake And Eat It Let To Their Dismal Showing At The Polls

Much has been said about the last GE, or rather its result. A combination of factors – from LKY’s passing to newly minted citizens, right down to the bookies who predicted PAP’s loss in many constituencies which alarmed many voters.One important factor which many failed to mention was the failure of the opposition to give voters what they wanted ie to have their cake and eat it.

Singaporeans are very smart indeed. What is the use of having the cake and not getting to eat it?

Simply speaking the voters wanted the PAP to still be the governing party and at the same time they want a strong opposition presence. The alternative parties were just not ready. When they heard minister Khaw Boon Wan’s threat that the PAP might not be able to form the government they panicked and decided to play it safe. They went for the cake even if they end up not getting to eat it.

Had the opposition been smart enough they would have executed the By Election Effect Strategy (BEES as we described it some years ago) to let the PAP form the government on Nomination Day by contesting less than 50% of the seats. Just like we did in 1991 when the opposition won an unprecedented 4 seats – 3 SDP and Low Thia Khiang for the WP.

Had we repeated the BEES voters would not have been threatened and would have voted for the more credible candidates without fear. The credible opposition candidates could then prove themselves worthy of the peoples’ support and gone on to prepare themselves for future elections to win more seats and by then would be on their way to ready themselves for government in subsequent elections.

Voters now get the cake but cannot get to eat it because the PAP would not let them. Just watch.

Source: Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood

October 22, 2015
Indonesian Coordinating Minister For Politics, Law and Security: Singapore’s One Aircraft Offer Is “Insulting”

JAKARTA — Singapore’s offer in September of only “one aircraft” to Indonesia to help fight forest fires that have caused thick haze to descend around the region was “insulting”, said Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Speaking in an interview last Friday (Oct 16) with the country’s Tempo magazine, Mr Luhut defended Indonesia’s perceived tardiness in putting out the fires and in accepting foreign aid.

“During the dry season, peatlands tend to be very flammable. When we bombard the land with water to put out the flames, they just come out again. So I get a headache when people get upset. What are we supposed to do?” he replied when asked why this year’s forest fires are worse than those of last year’s.

“Then someone asks why we didn’t accept the assistance offered earlier. There are many reasons for that. Firstly, we wanted to try and do it on our own. Secondly, we didn’t realise the process would be so long. Thirdly, (Singapore) offered only one aircraft. It was insulting.”

In September, Singapore offered a C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations, a Chinook helicopter with a water bucket for aerial fire-fighting, and up to two C-130 aircraft to ferry the Singapore Civil Defence Force fire-fighting assistance team.

Mr Luhut’s comments in the latest issue of the magazine came after Indonesia finally accepted help from Singapore on Oct 7 after repeatedly declining offers of help for weeks. Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had even flown to Jakarta at the end of September to meet his Indonesian counterpart at one of the meetings. During his visit, Dr Ng also met Mr Luhut.

On October 11, aircraft from Singapore and Malaysia began water-bombing missions to put out the raging fires in South Sumatra.

Singapore sent a Republic of Singapore Armed Forces (RSAF) Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket and 34 SAF personnel to help fight the ongoing forest fires, together with a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Two RSAF C-130 aircraft were also deployed to transport SAF and SCDF personnel.

In an interview on Oct 7, Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung told CNN Indonesia that Jakarta had earlier rejected Singapore’s offers of assistance because it was concerned that the city state would claim credit for solving the problem, despite being worried about the rapidly deteriorating situation.

In the Tempo interview, Mr Luhut also pledged to confiscate the land and revoke the licences of big companies that practise illegal burning next year.

“This haze problem is also about injustice. When a company controls 2.8 million hectares of land, where is the justice? Then there are those who own 600,000 hectares of land but own not a single fire extinguisher. Should the government be dousing fires all the time? If we call it a national disaster, they will benefit by it.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

October 22, 2015
Malaysian Opposition Will Scrap High Speed Rail Project If Elected

Malaysia’s opposition alliance said yesterday it will scrap a planned High Speed Rail (HSR) line between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur if it won federal power, and replace it with a railway connecting two key cities in East Malaysia – Tawau in Sabah and Kuching in Sarawak.

The proposal to ditch the HSR project and pump the estimated RM35 billion (S$11 billion) saved into East Malaysia was presented by Pakatan Harapan (PH) on the sidelines of a Parliament session, ahead of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s tabling of the 2016 Budget tomorrow.

The opposition claimed the HSR line would largely benefit only those working in and around Kuala Lumpur and in Singapore, and that the project is unnecessary at this point because Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are already served by excellent air and road links.

Selangor MP Ong Kian Ming, a member of PH’s Budget drafting committee, argued that the HSR would likely cost more than a rail network linking Sabah and Sarawak, and would significantly add to Malaysia’s debt levels if both were to be built together.

“HSR is not as important given that there are many cheaper and affordable options to travel between Malaysia and Singapore. The multiplier effects would be lower compared to a new railway network in East Malaysia and hence, the preference for the second cheaper and more necessary rail project,” he told The Straits Times.

Sabah and Sarawak have long been stronghold states of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. With Sarawak state polls to be called by next year, the move by the opposition is seen as a concerted play for East Malaysian votes. National elections are due in 2018.

Democratic Action Party chairman Tan Kok Wai said the new railway and other financial benefits to be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak in the opposition’s “alternative Budget”, are meant to develop the two states “long neglected” by BN.

The HSR plan has gained traction, with about 150 firms responding to Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority’s Request For Information exercise this month.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

October 22, 2015