Category: Sosial

Football: Homecoming For National Goalkeeper Hassan Sunny?

He is already 32 and set to return to the S-League after two seasons in the highly rated Thai Premier League (TPL).

But national goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, who is believed to be on the verge of signing for two-time winners Home United, is keen to dispel any talk that his career is headed on a downward trajectory from here on.

Said Hassan, whose former club, nine-time S-League champions Warriors FC, have also signalled their interest in signing him: “It doesn’t mean that by coming back to the S-League, it’s a step back for me.

“I’m looking for a new challenge and a new club, one which has a good set-up.”

He was the only Singaporean playing in the TPL for the past two seasons, where he enjoyed a fairly successful time. He was even rated by British newspaper The Telegraph as the 18th-best goalkeeper in the world in April.

And while the two-time S-League and two-time Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup winner said he would finalise his decision on where he will play in 2017 within the next 10 days, he is already thinking beyond the next year.

Said Hassan, who was released by Bangkok-based Army United with a year of his contract remaining, following their relegation to the second-tier Thai division 1: “If I play in the S-League, it would probably be for a year.

“And in the following year, when the Asean slot kicks in, hopefully I will be able to make it back to Thailand again.

“I enjoyed the atmosphere and the level of football over there (in Thailand) and it’s sad that I have to leave on a sudden note.”

Starting in 2018, Thai football authorities will implement a slot reserved for South-east Asian players for teams in the TPL. This means that they can field up to a maximum of four non-Asean players as part of their quota of five foreign imports.

While Hassan hopes to put himself in the shop window next season, he will have plenty of experience gleaned from his time in Thailand to bring to his new team.

“I hope to share my experiences with the team. For example, it is important to have not just one goalkeeping coach, but an assistant goalkeeping coach as well.”

His experienced pair of hands will be welcomed by the Protectors, who have been lacking a solid leader.

Home’s coach Aidil Sharin said: “We’re very keen for him to come on board. With him (Hassan) around, it’ll give a lot of confidence to our defenders, because he can command and lead.

“This is exactly what we’ve been lacking this season. We need more experienced players to help our younger ones during high-pressure matches in which our opponents are aggressive.”

If Hassan joins the Bishan-based club, who finished fourth in the S-League last season, he will be joined by new signings including defenders Afiq Yunos, Fadli Kamis, midfielder Izzdin Shafiq and winger Christopher van Huizen.

Though Home have lost Danish striker Ken Ilso, their chief goalscorer for the past two seasons, they have found a replacement in Croatian striker Stipe Plazibat, who was Hougang United’s top scorer in the league last season with 15 goals.

Source: The Straits Times

December 14, 2016
Lebih Baik Pegawai Agama Periksa Kebersihan Tandas Masjid, Daripada Tangkap Khalwat

Masyarakat Islam di Malaysia perlu mencabar undang-undang yang membenarkan pegawai agama melakukan serbuan terhadap pasangan berkhalwat, kata mantan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

Datuk Zaid berkata demikian dalam tulisan blognya ketika mengulas kejadian Selasa lalu (6 Dis) di mana seorang anggota polis maut selepas terjun dari sebuah pangsapuri di Cheras ketika cuba mengelak tangkapan pegawai Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais).

Menurut Free Malaysia Today (FMT), pada hari yang sama di Puchong, seorang lagi anggota polis cedera ketika cuba mengelak serbuan Jais.

“Walaupun hubungan seks haram tidak digalakkan, terjun dari tingkap sehingga mengakibatkan kecederaan tubuh badan bukan respon yang rasional,” kata Datuk Zaid seperti ditukil FMT.

Beliau juga berkata daripada menangkap dan menghukum orang Islam yang berkhalwat, adalah lebih baik jika pegawai pengkuatkuasa agama di negara itu membuat kerja yang lebih memanfaatkan, seperti menangani masalah kebersihan tandas di masjid.

“Pegawai agama lebih baik guna kakitangan dan wang mereka memeriksa tandas di masjid. Pastikan tandas bersih, dan graduan sekolah agama boleh cari kerja lain.

“Daripada menangkap pasangan ghairah dan mengakibatkan kehilangan nyawa, lakukanlah sesuatu yang baik dan berguna untuk masyarakat,” kata Datuk Zaid.

Akur bahawa tindakan ekstrim untuk mengelak ditangkap khalwat itu akibat rasa malu atas kesalahan itu, Datuk Zaid berkata “orang Melayu perlu sedar bila mereka patut berasa malu”.

“Melayu perlu malu bila mereka mengangkat kepimpinan korup,” katanya seperti ditukil FMT.

Datuk Zaid menambah: “Mereka juga manusia biasa seperti orang lain, dan melakukan dosa kecil di sana sini. Tetapi perlukah semua dosa dianggap jenayah di negara ini?”

Source: Berita MediaCorp

December 14, 2016
200 Jemaah Umrah Terkandas, Keberangkatan Tertunda 5 Kali

Kira-kira 200 jemaah Malaysia yang dijadual berlepas bagi mengerjakan umrah, pada Isnin (12 Dis), terkandas selepas penerbangan mereka ditangguhkan berikutan permit kebenaran mendarat masih belum diperoleh syarikat penerbangan sewa khas untuk membawa rombongan berkenaan.

Kesemua jemaah ketika ini ditempatkan di sebuah hotel di Nilai sementara menunggu maklumat terkini berhubung jadual penerbangan baru mereka daripada sebuah agensi umrah dan syarikat penerbangan sewa khas dari Malaysia.

Seorang jemaah Mokhtar Mohamad, 62 tahun, dari Batu Pahat, Johor, berkata beliau tiba di hotel tersebut kira-kira 2.00 petang semalam, selepas dimaklumkan penerbangan mereka yang sepatutnya berlepas pada 10.30 malam semalam, terpaksa dibatalkan.

“Saya dimaklumkan perkara ini ketika dalam perjalanan ke KLIA…mereka arahkan kami berkumpul di hotel ini kerana penerbangan kami tidak boleh berlepas disebabkan ada masalah pendaratan.

“Kalau nak ikutkan, penundaan ini sudah banyak kali sebab sebelum ini penerbangan kami pada 5 Dis tetapi ditunda ke 6 Dis. Kemudian, ditunda lagi ke 10 Dis sebelum ditukar pada 8 Dis…dan akhirnya pada 12 Dis selepas menerima surat rasmi sebelum saya berangkat ke KLIA semalam,” katanya.

Sambil melahirkan rasa kecewa dengan insiden itu, beliau berkata berdasarkan pengalamannya mengerjakan umrah sebelum ini, meskipun pakej umrah diambilnya murah, ia berjalan lancar tanpa sebarang masalah.

“Pakej saya ambil kali ini kira-kira RM6,500 (S$2,090) dan saya pergi bersama isteri dan seorang anak. Saya tidak sangka bukan isu pakej murah, tetapi isu lain pula yang timbul.

“Sekarang saya kena tangguh lagi cuti dan sebagainya kerana kita sudah ambil cuti awal, kalau tergendala macam ini susah kami,” katanya.

A. Husaini Rahman, 41 tahun, pula berkata beliau juga dimaklumkan bahawa pererbangannya dibatalkan ketika dalam perjalanan ke KLIA, semalam.

“Sehari sebelum berlepas saya sudah menghubungi agensi umrah kami untuk mendapatkan kesahihan jadual penerbangan tetapi gagal diperoleh.

“Jadi saya nekad bertolak dari Ipoh bersama isteri dan seorang anak tetapi dalam perjalanan baru kami terima maklumat bahawa penerbangan ditunda kerana masalah pendaratan,” katanya.

Lebih menyebabkan beliau terkilan kerana syarikat yang menyediakan penerbangan berkenaan mengesan masalah itu sejak awal pada 24 November lalu, namun tiada tindakan diambil bagi mengatasi masalah tersebut.

Sementara itu, berdasarkan penjelasan kepada rombongan itu, wakil syarikat penerbangan memaklumkan mereka diarahkan memberi maklumat tambahan berhubung manual keselamatan pada saat akhir bagi memastikan keselamatan setiap jemaah.

“Manual keselamatan kita kena ada penambahan disebabkan beberapa insiden yang berlaku di Timur Tengah, jadi mereka mahu pastikan prosedur kita mematuhi apa dikehendaki mereka.

“Kita telah hantar dokumen tambahan yang diminta dan sekarang kita tunggu jawapan balas mereka petang ini (13 Dis). Apa pun kita akan pastikan jemaah yang terkandas ini mendapat maklumat terkini dari semasa ke semasa,” katanya.

Source: Berita MediaCorp

December 14, 2016
Relief Singapore: General, Relief and Trained Volunteers Required For Aceh Earthquake Relief Mission

RSG is responding to the recent Aceh earthquake. We are putting together a team to head there from Dec 23-27 to assist with DEBRIS REMOVAL, CLEAN WATER and MEDICAL AID. Generalist volunteers and those new to relief volunteering are welcome to join the debris clearing team, and will undergo free training in the afternoon of Dec 18.

We are also looking for volunteers who have FIRST AID skills or are MEDICALLY TRAINED as doctors, nurses, paramedics and EMTs.

If you are keen to join the mission, please get in touch with us via [email protected] for more details.

Source: Relief Singapore

December 13, 2016
MOM: Retrenchment In Singapore At 7-Year High Since 2009 Financial Crisis

The number of workers laid off in Singapore hit a seven-year high in the first nine months of 2016 – the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009, figures released on Tuesday (Dec 13) by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) showed.

A total of 13,730 workers were retrenched in the first nine months of this year, an increase from the 10,220 retrenched during the same period last year and the highest since the first nine months of 2009 when 21,210 workers were laid off, according to the ministry’s quarterly labour market report.

During the third quarter, 4,220 workers were retrenched, down from the 4,800 laid off in the previous quarter but higher than the 3,460 retrenched in the same quarter last year.

Professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) were more likely to be made redundant, the MOM report said. These workers formed the majority (73 per cent) of Singapore residents laid off during the quarter, and those with tertiary qualifications also formed the bulk of resident layoffs.

The overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.1 per cent. Among Singaporeans, the unemployment rate was 3 per cent in September, down from 3.1 per cent in June, and among residents, it was 2.9 per cent, down from 3 per cent.

However, more job seekers were taking a longer time to find work, with the resident long-term unemployment rate rising to 0.8 per cent in September, up from 0.6 per cent a year ago and the highest September rate since 2009.

Total employment shrank by 2,700, the first decline in more than a year, MOM findings showed. The decline was primarily due to contractions in the manufacturing and construction industries, affecting mainly work permit holders. Over the first nine months, total employment grew by 14,500, but it was the lowest such growth since 2009.

“The contraction in total employment, heightened redundancy levels and decline in job vacancies to unemployed ratio reflect the current subdued global economic conditions and ongoing economic restructuring,” the ministry said.

It added that tripartite partners will continue to help affected workers look for new jobs.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

December 13, 2016