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SQ Girl Shows Why SIA Is The Only Way To Fly

*Updated: The kind lady is none other than Kren Choong Shi Qi !

Through a 12 hour flight from Singapore to Frankfurt, I made a friend. ?

Draga is a 92 year old lady who grew up in Slovenia and moved to Australia with her husband in the 70’s. Ever since her husband passed on 5 years ago, she makes an annual pilgrimage to Slovenia to hang out with her sister for a couple of months.

Traveling alone at that age can be tough and while she is helped by the ground staff armed with a wheelchair, her entire ride on the plane can be quite challenging.

Unable to figure out any technology, she sits there without any movies or entertainment to pass time. Even to the point of being unable to turn on the light when she needed it desperately to inject insulin into herself or to prick her finger when checking her glucose level.

I befriended her when she needed help with unlocking the tray as the clip was a little stuck. Saw her rummaging through her bag to figure out the glucose count machine in the dark and that reminded me of a time when my late grandfather asked me to sit down on a bench with a strange old uncle at K-Mart who was about to inject his stomach with insulin.

With Draga, she reached a point in the flight where I noticed her visibly shaking. Concerned, I asked if she was alright. She mentioned that she had accidentally shot too much insulin and because of that, her blood sugar had dropped to a level where it could get dangerous.

Trying to give her as much diabetes-appropriate food to slowly bring up her sugar levels, a Singapore Airlines stewardess, Karen Choong, came by telling us to switch off the overhead lights and instead use the lights located by the tv screen. When I explained that we were trying to get Draga’s sugar levels up, Karen suggested eating an apple. Draga could not bite into the hard apple and I was touched when Karen excused herself to grab a pair of gloves and a knife to cut the apple into bite sized pieces.

On her knees in her SQ kebaya, she patiently assisted Draga even wanting to feed Draga. Draga shyly declined and was appreciative of Karen’s kind gesture.

Draga was happy that at least the crew cared for her well being. Caught by surprise by Karen’s care and concern for her, she felt embarrassed as she did not want to be seen as a liability to the crew. They had other passengers to care for and Draga didn’t want to take up any more of their time, especially Karen’s.

Knowing that I was helping Draga too, Karen came by my seat to tell me quietly that if I noticed Draga’s health deteriorating, please call for her immediately. She took note of our seats and I assumed it was to alert her to rush over if our call button lighted up.

Flying with other airlines in the past, I’m not so sure if other crews would have gone to such lengths to ensure the comfort of their passengers.

Karen did not have to do what she did. Yet, she took it upon herself to monitor Draga once in a while to see if there was anything else she could provide to make Draga’s flight experience a better one.

If anyone could share and tag Karen Choong who is seen in this picture, I would appreciate it. She has acted out of such kindness without expecting anything in return. She, at least, deserves to read about how her actions have affected Draga’s life and mine too. ??

Thank you

Source: Shazy Tan

May 6, 2016
Kidney Patient Robbed Of Last $50 In Sembawang
All the kidney patient wanted was a drink from the vending machine.

She ended up getting into a fight for her handbag that contained the last $50 she had for the week to feed her two sick sons.

The robber was too strong and made off with her bag after a short but violent struggle.

She was left with a sprained arm and an anxious wait of several days for her salary to come in so she could put food on the table for her family.

Madam Jurina Johari, 42, has been a kidney patient for 25 years.

The part-time assistant pharmacist was on her way home from work when she felt thirsty.

She stopped to buy a drink at a vending machine at Block 512, Wellington Circle in Sembawang at around midnight on April 24. She was retrieving the can when she felt a violent tug.

Speaking to The New Paper last Thursday from her one-room rental flat, the mother of two sons, aged 21 and 22, said: “I was flung around. I managed to only catch a glimpse of the robber.”

She said she suspected the robber was a man in his 20s.

Madam Jurina said: “I held on to it (bag) as tightly as I could because the money in my bag was all I had. I didn’t want to let it go.”

A male passer-by, who was walking home with his mother, also gave chase, but he was too late as well.

Madam Jurina made a police report the next day and wrote to TNP to highlight the incident.

She said: “I was trembling. Everything happened in less than a minute.”

Madam Jurina, who is in the process of finalising her divorce from her husband of nearly three years, also lives with her mother, 60, who is diabetic and has heart problems.

Choking back tears, Madam Jurina said: “When I lost the money, I felt like I failed as a mother to put food on the table for my children.”

STRUGGLE

Madam Jurina has been struggling with chronic kidney disease since she was 17 – she had her right kidney removed eight years later.

Her older son, Mr Muhammad Shafiee Junadi, who is waiting to enlist into national service, was diagnosed with mild chronic kidney disease when he was an infant.

He has been a part-time mover after graduating from the Institute of Technical Education two years ago.

Said Madam Jurina: “He gets sick easily, so I was worried that he took on such a labour-intensive job.

“But he assured me the daily pay will allow him to support himself, so I’m just glad.”

She added that Mr Shafiee would at times complain of aches and pain near his left kidney, but the family cannot afford to seek treatment at the hospital.

“Medication for the four of us can amount to more than $1,000 a month.

“So we visit the doctor only when one of us is really sick. Otherwise, we just try to bear the pain,” said Madam Jurina.

“After I was robbed, Shafiee gave me $50 and told me to buy groceries. So I cooked one dish, reheated it for two to three days before cooking again.”

She said the money lasted her till she received her salary on April 28.

Madam Jurina’s younger son, Mr Muhammad Shahirul Junadi, was diagnosed with autism when he was one.

He attends the Goodwill, Rehabilitation and Occupational Workshop at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) from 10am to 4pm on weekdays.

The workshop provides vocational training and sheltered employment for adults aged 16 and above with cerebral palsy and other associated disability conditions.

When Madam Jurina called out to Mr Shahirul, he responded with a bright smile before lunging into her arms.

Planting a kiss on Mr Shahirul’s forehead, Madam Jurina said: “I couldn’t work full-time because there must always be someone to take care of him. So when my mother is sick, I have to take some time off work to help.”

SOCIAL AID

The family has also been receiving monthly food rations such as rice, biscuits and tinned food from the Lee Foundation through CPAS.

A Ministry of Social and Family Development spokesman said Madam Jurina’s mother, Madam Saminam, was provided with ComCare’s cash assistance, as well as support for water and electrical bills, from November 2015 to January 2016.

Representatives from the Sembawang grassroots group told TNP they are looking at how they can provide further assistance to Madam Jurina and her family.

Still traumatised by the incident, Madam Jurina raised her concerns about the groups of men seen drinking and hanging out at her void deck every weekend.

TNP spoke to 10 neighbours, who shared the same concern.

One of them, Madam Sheela Singh, 65, who goes on regular walks around the neighbourhood with her wheelchair-bound husband, said she has seen the group of men get rowdy at times.

“They will sit in groups of seven to eight people and drink. Especially on weekends, they can be quite noisy and usually leave the place in a mess,” said the retiree.

Another neighbour, Mr Norjohan Buniran, 43, a security guard, added that the problem has not improved since he moved in six years ago.

He said: “I have daughters, so I’m very worried about their safety. That’s why I don’t allow my children to play at the void deck.”

Madam Jurina said she is now more careful when she walks home at night after work.

“Even the idea of going to the shop at night scares me. I hope this incident will be a lesson to not only myself, but other residents as well to be more vigilant,” she added.

A police spokesman said investigations are ongoing.

“Medication for the four of us can amount to more than $1,000 a month. So we only visit the doctor when one of us is really sick. Otherwise, we just try to bear the pain.”

“When I lost the money, I felt like I failed as a mother to put food on the table for my children.”

– Madam Jurina Johari
Dos and don’ts

The Singapore Police Force website listed some measures residents can take to avoid falling victim to snatch thieves.

DOS:

Be alert and attentive to your surroundings.

If you suspect you are being followed, remain calm and go to a more crowded area or call the police.

Clutch your handbag tightly under your arm. Have the strap slung across your body, especially when moving around in crowded places such as shopping centres and wet markets.

When walking along the streets, carry your handbag on the side that is away from moving traffic.

When returning home alone or late at night, arrange for someone to escort you.

Carry a shrill alarm to scare off culprits or to attract the attention of others.

DON’TS:

Take shortcuts through dark alleys or secluded areas.

Wear excessive jewellery or carry large sums of cash.
Source: www.tnp.sg
May 6, 2016
PRC Foreign Minister: Palestinians Suffer More Than Refugees

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday that Palestinian suffering is “larger than the refugee tragedy,” stressing the Palestinian issue is on top of the Chinese diplomatic agenda, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Receiving his Palestinian counterpart Riad Al-Maliki in Beijing, Yi said: “A lot of people speak about the refugees and other hot issues, but the Palestinian brothers bear more than this. We express our extreme sympathy with them.”

“The Palestinian issue occupies a very important place on the Chinese diplomatic agenda.”

Both ministers met on the margin of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which convenes in Beijing today.

Al-Maliki said: “You know how much we appreciate your friendship and the old relationship which connects China with Palestine.”

During the meeting, the ministers discussed mutual relations and ways to promote them. Al-Maliki told the Anadolu that he briefed Yi about the latest political developments, mainly the Israeli settlements and escalations in attacks against Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Source: www.palestinechronicle.com

May 6, 2016
Bangladeshi Workers Worried They Can’t Pray Together

Some Bangladeshi workers sporting a beard are perceived as terrorists.

Others are not allowed to have their meals together – a measure some companies have taken to prevent any sharing of propaganda material among workers, said Mr A.K.M. Mohsin (photo), editor of Banglar Kantha, Singapore’s only Bengali newspaper.

With Ramadan coming up next month, the workers are now worried they will not be able to pray together.

Such is the impact that the latest spate of arrests and detentions of Bangladeshi workers under the Internal Security Act has had on the community, said Mr Mohsin.

Late last year, 27 Bangladeshi men were arrested and deported for terror links and possession of material on terrorist propaganda.

Last month, another eight men were detained under the Internal Security Act. Five others were repatriated.

Mr Mohsin, 52, explained: “Ninety-five per cent of the Bangladeshi workers here are Muslim, and most are very pious.

“They grow beards to emulate the actions of Prophet Muhammad, who is believed to have had a beard. But now they feel that if they follow their religion closely, people here will think that they are terrorists.”

As someone who runs Dibashram – a space for migrant workers here to get together for cultural activities and fellowship – Mr Mohsin is concerned about the plight of the Bangladeshi workers after the high-profile arrests.

“We should allow them to spend their weekends on recreational activities so they don’t have time to do bad things, or be involved in ridiculous discussions (that are held to radicalise).

“We should think of migrant workers as human beings, not machines,” he said.

WORRIED FOR HIS CHILDREN

As a father of three daughters aged six, 16 and 18, he is also concerned about how his children will be affected by the news.

“Like other parents, I’m worried about how Singaporeans will look at my children in another way. Actually, (these arrests) bring a lot of shame to us,” he said quietly.

Mr Mohsin is expected to meet the Singapore Bangladesh Society today to come up with some measures to improve the situation.

“Today, I told some of them (in the society) that we come forward to do something only when an incident like this happens. After that, we stop. That is no good. We have to continue our efforts to the migrant workers here,” he said.

Singapore ‘not exempted’ from radicalisation sweeping world

The wave of radicalisation is sweeping through the world and our region – and Singapore is not exempted, said Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam (right) yesterday afternoon.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a closed-door event at Temasek Polytechnic.

On Tuesday, the Home Affairs Ministry revealed that eight radicalised Bangladeshi men were detained last month under the Internal Security Act for plotting terror attacks in their own country.

They would meet in parks or open fields, and share large amounts of radical propaganda and videos. (See report below)

Another five investigated under the ISA were repatriated.

“These people had wanted to go to the Middle East but they couldn’t and so they were looking at other means.

“We could have been a target because they were prepared to attack anywhere.

“If they had been directed to attack in Singapore, they would have attacked in Singapore.

“So it shows the seriousness. It brings home again Paris, Jakarta… (the threat) is here to stay,” said Mr Shanmugam.

Adding that material on bomb-making and sniper rifles were recovered on detainees, he said: “You and I don’t go do research on those… so yes, there is a concern.”

We could have been a target because they were prepared to attack anywhere. If they had been directed to attack in Singapore, they would have attacked in Singapore.

– Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam

5 things to know about the detainees

Eight Bangladeshis, who called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB), were detained last month under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and another five were repatriated, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday. Here are five things you need to know about the detainees:

1 ISB’s leader was radicalised in 2013

Rahman Mizanur, 31, had been working on and off in Singapore since 2007. When he last came to Singapore last December, the authorities had no information to suggest that Rahman had radicalised views.

At the time of his arrest, he was working as a draftsman in a construction firm.

The seeds of terrorism were first sown in Rahman in 2013 when he read radical material online. He became more radicalised after a fellow Bangladeshi shared the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) propaganda material with him last year in Bangladesh.

2 ISB was a structured organisation

Members were given specific roles, such as leader and deputy leader, and were assigned responsibilities like managing the finances.

They would usually meet at parks or open fields and would share large amounts of radical propaganda and videos.

ISB was the first group comprising all foreigners to be detained under the ISA for terrorism-related activities in Singapore, said MHA.

3 Detainees had at least three years’ work experience here

When the eight detainees first came to work here, they were not known to be radicalised or involved in terrorism-related activities.

Each of them had worked here for between three and 10 years in the construction and marine industries. The authorities found no significant concentration in any particular company or accommodation.

The workers were arrested between late March and early April and were issued with two-year Orders of Detention late last month.

Five other workers who were repatriated – Evan Galib Hassan Chowdhury, Rana Masud, Pailot Md Rana Miea, Islam Tanjemul and Alomgir Md – were not part of the ISB, said MHA. But they possessed or proliferated jihadi-related materials, or supported the use of armed violence in pursuit of a religious cause.

4 Funds raised by ISB were members’ own contributions

At the time of the arrests, money was seized from the detainees.

MHA said the funds raised were from the members’ own contributions. The members had intended to use the funds to buy firearms for their planned terror attacks, but are not known to have acted yet.

Several of them may be prosecuted for terrorism-financing, and investigations are ongoing.

5 There is no link between ISB and the Bangladeshi nationals arrested last year

Some of the eight detainees chanced upon members of the radical religious group who were deported for terror links last year, but there is no indication that the eight detainees from ISB were part of this group. The Bangladeshi nationals in both incidents were not known to have been targeting Singapore at the time of their arrests.

Source: www.tnp.sg

May 6, 2016
Yaacob Ibrahim: Perkuat Silaturahim, Sepadu Elak Pecah-Belah

SEMENTARA isu keselamatan negara ditangani oleh agensi relevan, warga Singapura boleh memainkan peranan secara peribadi bagi memastikan bahawa perpaduan masyarakat tidak berpecah-belah.

Menteri Perhubungan dan Penerangan, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, berkata demikian sebagai mengulas penahanan lapan warga Bangladesh Selasa lepas kepada media selepas sesi perbincangan bersama golongan belia pada malam hari yang sama.

“Di Singapura, sebagai masyarakat Melayu/Islam, kita harus pelihara perpaduan sosial yang ada di sini.

“Kita lihat bagaimana kita boleh berganding bahu dengan masyarakat lain bagi menentukan bahawa apa pun yang telah berlaku tidak akan memecah-belahkan negara kita.

“Ini salah satu perkara yang penting dan harus terus ditekankan,” ujar Dr Yaacob yang juga Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam.

Lapan warga Bangladesh yang ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) itu telah merancang melakukan serangan pengganasan di negara mereka.

Mereka berusia antara 26 dengan 34 tahun dan merupakan sebahagian daripada kumpulan yang dinamakan Negara Islam Bangladesh (ISB).

Dr Yaacob menambah bahawa masyarakat Melayu/Islam perlu “terus memperkuat tali silaturahim dalam masyarakat dan memelihara perpaduan sosial yang kita telah capai buat bertahun-tahun lamanya”.

Dalam pada itu, Ketua Pengajian Dasar, Sekolah Pengajian Antarabangsa S. Rajaratnam (RSIS), Universiti Teknologi Nanyang (NTU), Profesor Madya Dr Kumar Ramakrishna, menekankan bahawa masyarakat Singapura tidak harus memulau pekerja asing.

“Sebahagian besar daripada mereka yang datang ke sini semata-mata mahu mendapat kerja dan menyara hidup mereka,” jelas Dr Kumar.

Beliau berkata penahanan lapan pekerja Bangladesh itu menunjukkan kerjasama antara Singapura dan pihak berkuasa Bangladesh perlu dipertingkat, lebih-lebih lagi ini kali kedua penahanan dibuat.

“Pendidikan mengenai cara mengesan sebarang kelakuan radikal boleh juga dianjurkan bagi pekerja asing agar mereka dapat berfungsi sebagai ‘mata’ dan ‘telinga’ tambahan’,” saran Dr Kumar.

Pengasas kumpulan penjagaan susulan antara agensi, Aftercare Group (ACG), Encik Abdul Halim Kader, yang juga Presiden Taman Bacaan, akur dengan pandangan bahawa masyarakat Singapura, tidak kira bangsa, tidak harus meminggirkan pekerja asing.

“Kita harus mendekati mereka terutama semasa waktu lapang mereka; jangan biarkan mereka terasing.

“Saya telah merancang dengan beberapa pihak tertentu bagi memperkenalkan sukan sepak takraw dan bola tampar kepada pekerja asing terutama warga Bangladesh pada minggu-minggu akan datang,” ujar Encik Abdul Halim yang juga Presiden Persekutuan Sepak Takraw Singapura (Perses).

Source: www.beritaharian.sg

May 6, 2016