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3 Muslim Villagers Burned To Death Following Hindu-Muslim Clashes In India

PATNA (India) — At least three Muslim villagers were burned to death yesterday (Jan 18) when their thatched huts were set on fire during a clash between Hindu and Muslim groups in eastern India, a government official said.

Mr Atul Prasad, a Bihar state administrator, said the violence erupted after the body of a young Hindu boy was found in Sarayian village more than a week after he went missing.

Mr Prasad said Hindu fishermen blamed Muslims for killing the boy who was friendly with a Muslim girl from the village, 105km north of Patna, the capital of Bihar state.

The charred bodies of three Muslims were found in the burned huts in the poor community, he said.

Police arrested eight Hindu men, and Mr Prasad said the situation remains tense but under control in the village.

Hindus make up more than 80 per cent and Muslims nearly 13 per cent of India’s 1.2 billion people. They largely live peacefully in various parts of the country, but there is occasional violence.

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 19, 2015
Sheik Farhan Is World Silat Champion

A quarter of a century after his father was crowned world champion, Singapore national silat exponent Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin has also followed suit.

Yesterday (Jan 16), the 17-year-old, son of two-time world champion Sheik Alau’ddin, secured Singapore its first gold medal at the 2015 Pencak Silat World Championships in Phuket, Thailand after overcoming Vietnam’s Mach Quoc Hung 3-2 in the final of the Class J (90-95kg) category.

He had beaten Malaysia’s Azrul Abdullah 4-1 in the semi-finals. Singapore also won three silver and three bronze medals at the meet.

Sheik Alau’ddin, who is also chief executive officer of the Singapore Silat Federation, had won the first of his two world titles at the World Championships in the Netherlands in 1990, before adding a second crown in Thailand four years later.

Among those to congratulate the Sheik Farhan on his achievement was Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong.

“Great achievement for someone who just recovered from a shin injury and who’s competing for the first time in the tournament,” Wong wrote on his Facebook page.

“Farhan’s father is former silat world champion Sheik Alau’ddin, and I’m glad he’s continuing the family tradition of excellence in this sport!”

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 17, 2015
Yaacob Ibrahim: No Such Thing As Freedom Of Expression Without Limits

Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said he appreciates a decision by a local printer of The Economist not to reproduce a page with the latest cover of the Charlie Hebdo magazine depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

“We have no doubt that there’s no such thing as freedom of expression without limits. As I have said before, the right to speak freely and responsibly must come together,” Dr Yaacob said to the media on the sidelines of the JFDI.Asia Demo Day on Friday (Jan 16),

Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs said the circulation of the cartoons will not be allowed in Singapore. He later posted on Facebook that “there are longstanding laws against causing offence to our races and religions” in Singapore.

The page in the Singapore edition of The Economist was replaced with a statement informing readers that the magazine’s “Singapore printers” declined to print it. The magazine hit local newsstands on Friday.

“I think Singaporeans understand the sensitivities and we must continue to protect our racial, religious harmony. So I appreciate the sensitivities shown by the printer and I commend them for the decision,” said Dr Yaacob.

“All in all, it’s been a good outcome for us, because people understand that we must continue to work together to preserve the racial and religious harmony in Singapore,” he added.

Dr Yaacob said the Malay/Muslim community is “by and large offended” by the latest Charlie Hebdo cover. “But I think they also understood that we need to act rationally and I am quite impressed at how the community has come together to respond to this particular episode,” he said.

“But at the same time, we recognise that this may not be the last time that it will happen and we have continued to build up our resilience. And on our part we should also continue to try and spread the message of peace and tolerance across all communities here in Singapore.”

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

January 17, 2015
Lee Hsien Loong Hints That General Elections Is Some Time Away

Hinting that the next General Election could be some time away, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government has not had time to think about setting up the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee – often seen as one of the final steps in the run-up to polls.

The next GE must be held by January 2017. Speaking to the Chinese media in an interview on Thursday, Mr Lee said the Government is preoccupied with the SG50 celebrations this year and hence, has had no time to think about when to set up the committee. “When it’s set up, everyone will know,” he added.

Mr Lee was also coy on whether his successor has been identified from among the current batch of Cabinet ministers. Saying it was very likely that the person is already in Cabinet, he nevertheless added that he is not entirely certain because he is looking to bring in some candidates with potential to lead the country for the next election.

But, he said, the search for his successor should be complete after the polls.

When it was pointed out by reporters that the possible successor would have little time to work with his Cabinet colleagues if he were to come from the next cohort of Members of Parliament, Mr Lee said: “But it might not be an unfamiliar face.” So could it be someone whom the public is already familiar with? “There is the possibility, certainly” he replied.

Referring to United States President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron – both of whom had no prior experience running a government department or ministry before emerging as their respective countries’ top leader – Mr Lee said the Government might have no choice but to accept such a model.

Mr Lee also said that in the next election, voters should be prepared for the possibility of junior office-holders – such as Ministers of State and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries, and not necessarily Ministers – leading the People’s Action Party teams in Group Representation Constituencies.

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 17, 2015
Chee Soon Juan: PAP Should Not Stigmatise Failure

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan has criticised Social and Family Development Minister Chan Chun Sing’s decision to make scathing remarks about him on Thursday, adding in his response laced with sarcasm that Singaporeans “detest” the politics of mud-slinging.

Referring to Mr Chan’s description of him as a “political failure”, Dr Chee said unlike the “accomplished” minister who had risen quickly through the ranks of the army and assumed political office, he had chosen a different path that does not lead to “power, privilege and a high salary”.

“In this respect, Mr Chan is right — I have not succeeded. I have instead undertaken (the task) to speak up for the people of Singapore in what was, to put it mildly, a very difficult political terrain,” said Dr Chee.

“Nevertheless, I am proud of my achievements … But I want to sound him a note of caution: When we attain our goals in life, we should not look down on and criticise others who have yet to achieve theirs.”

The minister wrote to The Huffington Post on Thursday about their decision to publish two of Dr Chee’s articles — Without Freedom There Is No Free Trade and Free The Singapore Media And Let The People Go, printed on Nov 13 and Dec 11 last year, in which he criticised the Government for violating human rights through its trade processes and for its control over the media.

In the letter, Mr Chan also detailed Dr Chee’s lacklustre electoral performance against that of Mr Chiam See Tong — founder of the SDP who had been forced out by Dr Chee — and his dismissal from his lecturer post at the National University of Singapore for misappropriating research funds and other misconduct.

“It is because of these and other failings that Dr Chee is a political failure — not because he was persecuted, as he likes to pretend (to be),” the minister said.

Taking issue with Mr Chan’s sharply worded letter, Dr Chee yesterday said the ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) “outdated practice of stigmatising failure” troubles him.

He also hit out at the PAP’s “habit of engaging in the politics of name-calling and personal destruction”. “It is disappointing that the younger generation of ministers like Mr Chan has not set a new direction for the conduct of politics in Singapore, instead relying on that of a bygone era. How does calling me a failure help to solve the problems that Singaporeans face?” said Dr Chee.

“For the sake of Singaporeans, let us go beyond such an unconstructive form of politics that Singaporeans detest and graduate to a more mature level of contestation of ideas that the people deserve.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 17, 2015