Category: Sosial

Cuaca Terik, Kering Cabaran Utama Jemaah Haji Singapura

Kurang sehari sebelum bermulanya kemuncak ibadah haji, semua jemaah Singapura perlu bersiap sedia menghadapi cuaca yang semakin panas, lagi kering.

Suhu di Padang Arafah semasa wukuf nanti dijangka mencapai sehingga 45 darjah Selsius, ketika jemaah haji akan paling terdedah kepada terik matahari di kawasan yang terbuka.

Kalau cuaca waktu malam di Makkah boleh menjunam sehingga 30 darjah Selsius tetapi pada siang harinya suhu dalam musim panas sekarang boleh melebihi 40 darjah Selsius.

Maka itu semua jemaah Singapura perlu membuat persiapan untuk tidak menghadapi pelbagai masalah yang berkaitan dengan keadaan panas terik dan kering.

“Jemaah, cabaran mereka yang terbesar sekarang adalah masalah cuaca. Cuaca yang tidak menentu dan agak tinggi dan panas. Mereka juga perlu menyesuaikan diri kepada orang-orang yang baru mereka jumpa sebab cabaran kedua selain cuaca adalah manusia.

“Dengan karenah manusia yang ramai, bagaimana untuk menjaga keselamatan diri. Yang ketiga adalah diri kita sendiri, bagaimana untuk mengawal diri sendiri kerana ini merupakan rukun Islam kelima, banyak memerlukan kesabaran,” ujar Ustaz Jallaluddin Hassan.

Pada musim haji tahun lalu, lebih 1,000 kes strok haba atau “heat stroke” berlaku di kalangan para jemaah semasa kemuncak ibadah haji.

Malah kajian Umrah dan Haji Arab Saudi menunjukkan musim-musim haji akan datang jatuh dalam musim panas bulan September, Ogos, Julai dan Jun di Saudi bagi tempoh 10 tahun akan datang.

Maka itu, semua jemaah haji dinasihati agar menggunakan payung atau mengelakkan kawasan-kawasan terdedah seberapa mungkin.

Keadaan disukarkan lagi oleh keadaan orang ramai yang sesak. Dianggarkan lebih dua juta orang akan menjalankan ibadah haji tahun ini.

Jemaah Singapura seperti ramai jemaah haji merata dunia akan mula bergerak ke Mina untuk tarwiyah hari ini (9 September) dan ke Padang Arafah, esok (10 September).

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

September 10, 2016
Mohd Khair: Madrasah Wak Tanjong Perlukan Dana $12 Juta, Pertimbangan Diperlukan

Madrasah Wak Tanjong memerlukan SGD12juta

Amat menyentuh hati sekali apabila ramai yang mahu membantu pihak Madrasah Wak Tanjong mengumpul dana SGD12juta itu.

Namun, walau apapun cara untuk mengumpul dana, beberapa perkara asas mungkin perlu diberikan pertimbangan:

1. Persaingan (Competition): Terdapat beberapa projek lain dalam masyarakat yang juga memerlukan dana dalam pelbagai saiz. Ada yang memerlukan lebih dari SGD12juta bagi satu projek.

2. Andaian (Assumption): Periksa pemahaman kita terhadap pasaran. Nilai semula andaian-andaian yang boleh jadi blindspot sehingga usaha mengumpul dana mengalami lebih friction dan kurang traction.

3. Perkara Hati (Matters of the Heart): Kerja-kerja mengumpul dana memerlukan lebih usaha untuk menyentuh hati dan bukan setakat menarik perhatian akal. Pendekatan lebih bersifat affective diperlukan, dan bukan setakat cognitive.

4. Kenapa ini dan bukan itu? (Why this and not that?): Mahu tidak mahu, sesiapapun yang kumpul dana, perlu tangani persoalan ini – “kenapa mesti saya derma di sini dan bukan di sana?” Apakah “compelling story” yang boleh disajikan kepada pasaran penderma?

5. Kreativiti & Tenaga (Creativity & Sustainability): Apakah LAGI yang perlu dilakukan untuk terus kekal relevan di sepanjang tempoh pengumpulan dana agar pasaran penderma tidak berasa jemu? Perlu kreatif untuk sentiasa segar dan dapat terus bertahan dalam pasaran.

(kalau projek ini ada kabel kuat, pendekatannya berlainan sedikit)

Source: Mohd Khair

September 10, 2016
Hairline Cracks Found, 11 Sengkang-Punggol LRT Trains Withdrawn From Service

Hairline cracks have been found on 11 first-generation Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) trains, SBS Transit and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement on Friday (Sept 9).

The trains were withdrawn from service as a precautionary measure after the discovery of the defects during SBS Transit’s fleet-wide inspection in July. Six of the trains have been repaired and returned to service.

The remaining five are expected to be reinstated by the middle of next month.

The cracks were found on the bogie frames of the trains and do not compromise its weight bearing property, said the statement. One of the core functions of the bogie frame is to support the guidance system of the trains.

Location of crack on bogie frame:

An independent assessor, TUV Rheinland, and the manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) had separately assessed that the defects are not safety-critical, the statement added.

Friday’s news came about two months after Hong Kong news agency FactWire broke the news that 26 China-made SMRT trains hairline cracks were found to have hairline cracks and would be sent back in batches to their manufacturer’s plant in China for repairs.

An LTA spokesperson said checks by SBS Transit were “intensified” after the discovery of cracks on the Kawasaki-Sifang MRT trains operated by SMRT. “The latest checks concluded that there are no new discovery of cracks on the other lines. The operators will continue to carry out regular inspections on all train components,” she said in response to TODAY’s queries.

The FactWire report on the SMRT train defects, which was published in early July, sparked a public outcry. Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan had described the cracks on the SMRT trains – the first of which was discovered in July 2013 – as a routine matter that had been “mis-spun into a controversy”. He added that had the hairline cracks found on the trains compromised safety or service availability, the authorities would have released the information “immediately”.

While SMRT did not withdraw the affected trains from service before they were sent for repairs, in order to minimise disruption to train operations, SBS Transit said it immediately pulled the affected trains from service as it had adequate capacity to keep operations going.

A sample of the affected bogie frame has been sent to MHI’s research and development centre in Japan to determine the cause. When contacted, an MHI spokesperson said it is unable to comment as a detailed analysis is being carried out.

The affected trains have been operating since the SPLRT was launched in 2003. There are a total of 57 trains in the SPLRT fleet and a maximum of 36 trains are deployed at any one time, SBS Transit and LTA said. The operator has been inspecting all its LRT trains on a weekly basis for any new defects.

SBS Transit and LTA said they are working with MHI to “redesign, strengthen and replace” the bogie frame structures on all 57 trains. They added: “The detailed improvement timeline is being worked out and MHI will bear the replacement costs.”

The LTA spokesperson said there was no need to ship the affected trains back to Japan as the rectification works were “less complex” as compared to the works to rectify the hairline cracks on the 26 SMRT trains.

Mountbatten Member of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, who sits on the Government Parliamentary Committee for transport noted that the Government was more transparent in sharing information about the latest discovery of hairline cracks.

The defects of the 26 SMRT trains had “caused quite a bit of alarm” among the public as to whether there was a cover-up, he noted.

“Having learnt a precious lesson that if you don’t tell people, people (will) speculate and attribute all sorts of unsubstantiated comments about why (the) trains are being brought back,” said Mr Lim. “So to avoid any kind of speculation, then I think (LTA and SBS Transit) felt that in this case (it would be) better to tell… although they assessed (the hairline cracks) not to be a major issue.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

September 10, 2016
Advice For All Singaporean Brothers: Choose Driver Vocation For NS, You Won’t Regret It

First….ORD loh!

Ok for all you bros who not yet enlist, now you all can choose from 33 different vocations. No need scared ah..

I got very good advice for you. Maybe the best advice you will get on your NS.

Go become driver! Seriously there is nothing more useful in NS then picking up driving. The best thing is you dont haf to pay for it.

Doesnt matter if you in the end cannot automatically convert your licence to a civilian one. With that skill, chances are you’ll breeze through the lessons at the driving schools so you still can save money

Dont be put off by smart alecks telling you that it might affect your career if your NS vocation is not good. They say better have good vocation so that your prospects will be brighter, especially if you intend to join the civil service. actually if you don’t have any intention of to sign on with uniform group then you dont have to worry. you can still be HOD or reach manager level. you can still become doctor or lawyer or scientists or lecturers. dats teh fact lah bros. You want to become Uber driver also can!

Go ahead discuss with your parents. Think about what you want to do. But remember, the best choice is to become a driver!

Singaporean Son

[Reader Contribution]

September 9, 2016
Ismail L.A. : Polemik, Jenaka Dan Mati Pucok Presiden Pilihan

?? ALMARHUM YUSOFF ISHAK & SINGAPURA

Semasa saya kecil saya selalu terdengar dan suka memerhatikan perbualan orang2 tua dengan arwah bapa saya berborak2 perihal politik Singapura dan selalu nama Presiden Singapura yang pertama iaitu Almarhum Yusoff Bin Ishak disebut.

Waktu itu saya kurang mengerti soal politik semasa tetapi saya selalu dengar mereka menyebut Almarhum sebagai patung bernyawa, Presiden tidak guna, batang pisang dan lain2 lagi yang kurang enak, tidak pernah ada pujian dari lidah mereka.

Sekarang baharu saya faham dan mengerti situasi pada masa itu dan apa yang selalu Pemerintah war-warkan sikap Almarhum sebagai Presiden yang berjiwa raayat sebenarnya banyak juga raayat yang tidak menyukai, mempersenda diri dan jawatan nya.

Suatu tugas yang besar yang tidak mungkin dapat menyenangkan hati kepada semua lapisan masyarakat Singapura pada waktu itu.

Jika polemik pemilihan Presiden untuk dibahaskan tahun ini supaya orang Melayu kita dapat sekali lagi menjawat jawatan itu dengan ehsan Pemerintah maka saya ingat kerendahan Presiden dimata masyarakat akan lebih lagi, bukan sahaja dikalangan Melayu sendiri malahan daripada masyarakat yang lain2 juga.

Ini kerana hampir semua orang Melayu sedar yang Pemerintah hanya menpergunakan diri mereka dengan permainan politik kerana takut menerima kenyataan dimana Presiden pemilihan Pemerintah dalam pilihanraya Presiden kali ini akan kalah.

Jika Pemerintah benar2 ikhlas mahukan bangsa minoriti Melayu memegang jawatan yang tertinggi itu kenapa Pemerintah menukar skim pemilihan langsung oleh konsensus Parlimen kepada pengundian raayat dimana umum semua tahu yang masyarakat kita belum lagi setara dengan kebolehan masyarakat bangsa2 lain.

Hairan Pemerintah hanya mulai sedar bila mereka tersepit dan kini segala alasan tidak akan dapat memenangi lagi hati nurani masyarakat Melayu walaupun dihadiahkan jawatan Presiden itu.

Presiden Melayu kita kali ini jika ianya terpilih akan dipersendakan dan kali ini akan lebih gelak dan memalukan lagi daripada yang dahulu dan puisi ‘Mati Pucok’ dari saudara Damanhuri Bin Abas politikus dari SDP sangat jelas kebenaran nya.

Poetry by Mr Damanhuri Abas

Mati Pucuk – Sempena Bulan Bahasa

Maruah bangsa tidak berharga.
Bila pemimpin dipilih sesuka.
Mati pucuk pimpinan bangsa.
Tinggal boneka bahan jenaka.

Diangkat mahkota dibilang Raja.
Mulut terbuka tanpa suara.
Disuruh senyum Raja gembira.
Kuasa konon ditipu bangsa.

Dimata semua pembodek Kuasa.
Melayu layu tidak semua.
Akan ku tuntut Maha Kuasa
Biar ku papa Maruahku Ada.

Mati pucuk pimpinan bangsa.

✏️ Ismail L. A.

Source: Mohamed Ismail Ismail

September 9, 2016