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  • Bazaar Ramadan Controversy Unnecessary, More Transparency Needed From PAP MP

    Bazaar Ramadan Controversy Unnecessary, More Transparency Needed From PAP MP

    Yang Berhormat Ahli Parliament Geylang Serai

    Call the Ramadan Bazaar at Geylang Serai by any name, it doesn’t matter. Few will also object if you want to open it to those who want to sell non-halal food.

    But do be upfront. Be transparent and please inform the public so as to avoid confusion and creating a controversy. An unnecessary one too, that should be best avoided especially in the month of Ramadan.

    Most of us including myself have always thought that the Bazaar which coincides with Ramadan only sell halal food; so try to appreciate how upsetting it could be when we discover otherwise.

    To matter matters worse, you seem to be taking the high moral ground and trying to pin the blame on us insinuating that we are against inclusiveness.

    We can assure you that we are all for inclusiveness and multiracialism and have no objection to change the nature of the bazaar to include sale of non-halal food.

    But don’t do it surreptitiously.

    My regrets for speaking so plainly in the month of Ramadan.

     

    Source: Ismail Kassim

  • Wedding Bells Robbed Local Football Fans Opportunity For Messi Appearance In Singapore

    Wedding Bells Robbed Local Football Fans Opportunity For Messi Appearance In Singapore

    Local football fans fume as reports claim Argentina captain and Otamendi will miss Singapore game.

    Instead of wowing the National Stadium next Tuesday with his intricate touches, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi is likely to be back in his home country, dealing with the intricacies of wedding planning.

    Yesterday, reports surfacing from Argentina and Australia, where Argentina play Brazil in a friendly tonight, stated that the Barcelona playmaker and Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi will miss the friendly match against Singapore next week.

    According to the reports, they are allowed to fly home to plan for their respective weddings.

    “Otamendi and Messi are allowed to travel (home) after the game because the two of them are getting married,” Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli said in yesterday’s pre-match press conference.

    Separately, The Clarin, Argentina’s biggest daily newspaper, reported yesterday that Messi’s absence in Singapore was “an open secret”, and that he wanted to be with his loved ones as he finalises preparations for his June 30 wedding to Antonella Roccuzzo, the mother of his two sons Thiago and Mateo.

    Also, Otamendi is set to get married on June 16, and thus is given permission to miss the Singapore tie.

    In a joint statement yesterday, the Football Association of Singapore and match promoter Unicess said they were aware of the reports concerning the Argentine duo’s impending plans.

    The statement read: “We are currently working with the Argentinian FA to determine the authenticity of the claims made in these reports and will provide an update as soon as we are able to.”

    Local fans reacted with disappointment at the news yesterday, with some asking if the organisers would consider refunds.

    Tickets for the Singapore-Argentina match cost between $40 and $188, with some sections of the 55,000-seater National Stadium already sold out.

    Netizen Clemence Chia said: “I hope organisers would be gentlemanly enough to allow refunds for those who bought tickets because of Messi.”

    Thomas Hoon added: “I kind of expected it as these trips are generally for second-string players trying to prove themselves.

    “I am sure this was known to the organisers beforehand; Messi just woke up in the morning and say ‘I (am) getting married?’”

     

    Source: http://www.tnp.sg/

  • Man Seeks Witnesses After Being Gashed By Turkish Ice Cream Seller At Geylang Serai Bazaar

    Man Seeks Witnesses After Being Gashed By Turkish Ice Cream Seller At Geylang Serai Bazaar

    A man who suffered a 4cm-long wound after a stunt by a Turkish ice cream seller at Geylang Serai Bazaar allegedly went awry is looking for videos of the incident to support his claims for compensation.

    Mr Derick Chow, a 26-year-old business development manager, told The Straits Times on Thursday (June 8) that he was at the bazaar with his girlfriend on Friday (June 2) night when the accident happened.

    “At about 11pm, after walking around, I decided to get an ice cream from the Turkish stall,” he said. “My girlfriend was standing on my left side and after paying for the ice cream, they did the demonstration.”

    Turkish ice cream, or dondurma, is typically served with the vendor twisting the confection around a long-handled metal stick and teasing the customer by repeatedly snatching it out of his reach.

    Mr Chow said the vendor first tried to “prank” his girlfriend before turning to him. He said the vendor was waving his stick in front of him, and as he was about to take the ice cream cone from him, he was injured by the stick and suffered a 4cm-long gash.

    He said he took a taxi to Raffles Hospital and received 20 stitches for the wound on his forehead, which was “quite deep” and cost him more than $4,000 in medical bills.

    Mr Chow said he wanted to get the money back from the ice cream stall’s insurance, but is still in talks with the stall owner.

    He said the owner asked for video evidence, and he has appealed to social media users for it, as some people were taking videos when the incident happened.

    The Straits Times has reached out to the stall owner for more information.

    In response to queries from The Straits Times, police confirmed a report was lodged over the incident.

     

    Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/

  • Alternative Return Flights Arranged For Singaporeans In Mecca; May Be Used For Future Pilgrimages

    Alternative Return Flights Arranged For Singaporeans In Mecca; May Be Used For Future Pilgrimages

    Close to 300 Singaporeans who are in Mecca for umrah, a minor pilgrimage, are scheduled to return on alternative airlines, after Qatar Airways’ licence was revoked by Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

    Mr Mustafa Jumat, vice-president of the Association of Muslim Travel Agents Singapore (Amtas), told The Straits Times yesterday that most Singaporeans have settled their return flight details. They also did not experience any major disruptions to their travel plans.

    “Qatar Airways assisted them and directed them to alternative airlines,” said Mr Jumat. Some of these alternatives include Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways and Emirates.

    Although the schedules of Singaporeans in Mecca are largely unaffected, their return flight routes will differ, with different stopovers.

    The disruptions started on Tuesday, when Saudi Arabia revoked Qatar Airways’ licences and ordered it to close its offices within 48 hours.

    The move came amid a diplomatic rift between Qatar and a powerful bloc in the Arab world – Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – who are accusing it of supporting terrorism across the region.

    On its website, Qatar Airways indicated that all flights to the four states will be suspended “until further notice”.

    Should the ban continue, Mr Jumat said that alternative travel plans may be required for groups scheduled to go on pilgrimages in October and November this year.

     

    Source: http://www.tnp.sg/

  • ‘Bas Pelancong’ Madinah Sedia Bawa Anda Ke 11 Tapak Bersejarah Bandar Itu

    ‘Bas Pelancong’ Madinah Sedia Bawa Anda Ke 11 Tapak Bersejarah Bandar Itu

    Pihak berkuasa Arab Saudi kini mengenalkan satu khidmat baru di bandar Madinah, bagi para jemaah yang ke bandar bersejarah itu. Dipanggil “Bas Pelancong”, perjalanannya bermula di Masjid Nabawi, membawa para pengunjung ke 11 tapak di Madinah.

    Ini termasuklah ke tempat-tempat dan tanda mercu bersejarah seperti Jannat al-Baqi, Gunung Uhud, Masjid Qiblatain, Jalan Sultan dan pusat-pusat beli-belah.

    Menurut Saudi Gazette, khidmat bas terbaru itu memulakan perjalanan pertamanya pada Selasa (6 Jun) dan dikendalikan sebuah syarikat pelancongan yang mewakili Penguasa Pembangunan Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah.

    Laman akhbar itu juga melaporkan, dengan menyasarkan para pengunjung dari seluruh pelusuk dunia, perjalanan itu menawarkan para pemandu yang dapat bertutur dalam lapan bahasa.

    Fahad Al-Bayti, pegawai hubungan awam penguasa itu, ditukil Saudi Gazette sebagai berkata perjalanan sulung itu, yang disaksikan pihak media dan para peniaga sedang dalam peringkat persediaan untuk pelancaran rasmi projek berkenaan di masa-masa akan datang.

    Bas dua tingkat itu juga mesra penumpang kurang upaya supaya orang berkeperluan khas juga dapat menikmati manfaat projek unik berkenaan, menurut laporan Saudi Gazette.

    Encik Al-Bayti menarik perhatian bahawa pertimbangan dilakukan dalam menetapkan harga tiket supaya ia mudah diakses orang ramai.

    Projek tersebut juga termasuk lima bas pada fasa pertama, sebelum ia ditambahkan kepada 15 bas selepas itu. Ia akan beroperasi selama 14 jam setiap hari.

     

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg