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Tigerair Flight To Chennai Force To Return After Engine Cowling Falls Off

Tigerair flight TR2638 to Chennai was forced to return to Changi Airport on Friday (Oct 16) after the crew was advised that the cowling of the aircraft’s left engine had fallen off.

In an email statement to Channel NewsAsia on Saturday, an airline spokesperson said a mayday call was made “as a precaution and in order for the pilot to secure priority for landing and the necessary ground assistance”.

These photos sent anonymously to Channel NewsAsia show the affected Tigerair aircraft.

“The pilot then commenced a turn back, bringing all passengers and crew safely back to Singapore,” the spokesperson said, adding that the flight, which departed Singapore at 8.46pm on Friday, returned to Changi Airport on the same day at 11.20pm.

Tigerair also said that the next flight to Chennai took off at 2.07am and reached its destination at 3.25am local time on Saturday morning. Only 167 out of the original 172 passengers got on the flight, it added.

“We are currently working closely with the authorities to investigate the incident,” Tigerair said.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

October 18, 2015
Thousands Flee Aceh After Church Burning

Thousands of people, mostly Christians, have left Aceh Singkil regency, Aceh, for neighboring regencies in North Sumatra after an Islamic group attacked a village and set fire to a church.

The attackers, grouped under the Aceh Singkil Islamic Care Youth Students Association (PPI), arrived in Suka Makmur village, Gunung Meriah district, Aceh Singkil, in several trucks on Tuesday afternoon and set alight the Huria Kristen Indonesia (HKI) Church, which they considered to be unlicensed.

Hundreds of police and military officers who had earlier been deployed to the village failed to prevent the attack as they were outnumbered. One of the attackers, identified as Samsul, was shot dead when Christians, the majority in the village, tried to defend their church.

Samsul, 21, a resident of Bulu Sema village, Suro Makmur, died from an air rifle wound, while three other attackers were injured and were taken to the regency’s general hospital for treatment.

The church was one of 10 in the regency that was protested by the Islamic group. At a recent meeting at the regency office between the protesters, the churches’ board members and local officials, it was reportedly agreed that the churches would be demolished on Oct. 19.

After the attack, about 75 percent of the villagers moved to other areas, with many houses in Suka Makmur left empty and locked up.

“We are still afraid that an incident could occur again if [the situation is] not handled properly,” congregation member Silaban said on Wednesday.

The police recorded that 3,433 people had moved to Central Tapanuli regency and 976 to Pakpak Bharat regency, both in North Sumatra.

Many parties have denounced the attack in Aceh, the only province in the country to implement sharia.

“Stop violence in Aceh Singkil. Any act of violence, whatever the reasons behind it, not to mention if it is related to religion and faith, will kill diversity —Jkw,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Wednesday on his Twitter account @jokowi.

Jokowi has ordered Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti to take immediate action to stop violence and promote peace in the regency.

Badrodin acknowledged that the National Police had foreseen such an attack but had not readied enough security personnel on Tuesday to protect the church from the attackers, estimated to have numbered 500 to 700 people.

“We knew [about conflict involving the church] from four months ago. This is why I truly regret the fact that the arson happened,” Badrodin said on Wednesday.

The police have questioned 45 people connected to the incident.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also denounced the attack and discouraged Muslims in Aceh from taking part in any activities that could incite a larger conflict between Islamic and Christian communities in the region.

“First of all, the burning will never be justified. Even if the church committed a violation, let the local authorities solve the problem according to the existing rules,” MUI chairman Ma’ruf Amin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The Wahid Institute recorded 158 incidents of religious rights violations throughout 2014, with 78 percent enacted by non-state actors.

Meanwhile, Setara Institute research director Ismail Hasani condemned the incident as a violation of human rights which was facilitated by the local administration.

Ismail argued that similar incidents in Aceh, namely in 1979, 2001 and 2012, were caused by a discriminatory 1979 agreement between Muslim and Christian communities that stipulated there would be only one church and four small Christian houses of worship in Aceh Singkil.

Source: www.thejakartapost.com

October 17, 2015
Pemuzik Singapura, Riduan Zailani, Terima Anugerah Artis Muda

Pemuzik genderang, Riduan Zalani merupakan satu-satunya tokoh seni Melayu yang menerima Anugerah Artis Muda tahun ini.

Anugerah tersebut adalah pengiktirafan bagi para penggiat seni di bawah 35 tahun yang mempunyai potensi luar biasa dalam persada seni tanah air.

Bersama enam lagi penerima Anugerah Artis Muda dan empat penerima Pingat Budaya, Encik Riduan menerima anugerah dari Presiden Tony Tan Keng Yam malam ini.

Alat muzik genderang begitu dekat dengan hati Encik Riduan, 30 tahun.

Sejak tujuh tahun lagi, beliau mula bermain genderang untuk kumpulan dikir barat. Kerana cinta terhadap budaya Melayu dan genderang, Encik Riduan menubuhkan kumpulan genderang Melayu, NADI Singapura.

“Selama 23 tahun berada di atas pentas, saya sungguh bersyukur dapat menjelajahi lebih daripada 30 negara, dan 60 negeri.

“Kita cuba tonjolkan semangat kenusantaraan dan semangat ketimuran kita dari segi persembahan kita, pendekatan kita terhadap muzik Melayu sekarang yang ia boleh menjadi satu wadah yang boleh membuat ia relevan hingga ke hari ini,” ujarnya.

Encik Riduan yang mempunyai Diploma dalam bidang Muzik di Maktab Seni LASALLE akur tidak mudah untuk menjadi penggiat seni sepenuh masa di Singapura.

Salah satu cabarannya adalah pendapatan yang tidak menentu dan bergantung pada sambutan.

Maka itu, beliau percaya penting untuk seseorang penggiat seni itu untuk kekal relevan, menggunakan pendekatan inovatif dalam penyampaian dan bijak mengambil manfaat daripada geran-geran pemerintah.

“Harapan saya, agar sokongan ini dapat terus meningkat dan dapat menyemarakkan suasana seni di Singapura. Saya rasa sudah tiba masanya, kami bersatu untuk menubuhkan satu institusi yang mengetengahkan tradisi-tradisi Melayu kita termasuk gendang-gendang Melayu kita,” ujar Encik Riduan.

Selain genderang Melayu, Encik Riduan juga mahir bermain genderang Afro-Cuban dan Afro-Brazilian.

Tidak hairanlah, beliau sering dijemput untuk mewakili Singapura dalam pesta muzik antarabangsa seperti Pesta Muzik, Seni dan Tarian Dunia (WOMAD).

Pengiktirafan Anugerah Artis Muda bagi Encik Riduan adalah seperti pembakar semangat untuknya meneruskan perjuangan dalam arena seni tanah air.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

October 17, 2015
Mentally-Ill Man Jailed 3 Years For Assaulting Mother

A 31-year-old mentally ill man has been sentenced to 36 months’ jail on Friday (Oct 16) for assaulting his elderly mother. Rajesh Pannu was spared caning due to his diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia.

Rajesh slapped and punched his mother, 62, on her face and body repeatedly in November last year, and used a broom stick to beat her until it broke.

He was upset that his mother’s walking frame was making noises as she walked into the living room, where Rajesh was watching television.

He grabbed the walking frame and threw it away from his mother before attacking her.

To prevent his mother from calling for help, he threw her handphone onto the floor and unplugged the telephone in their Tampines Street 82 flat.

In pain and bleeding from the nose, Mdm Narindar Kaur Darshan Singh tried to make her way to the bedroom without the aid of her walking frame to rest. Rajesh became angrier when he realised his mother could walk without the frame.

He followed her into the bedroom and hit her on the forehead multiple times with a plastic mug, undeterred by his mother’s screams of pain.

I WANT TO KILL YOU: ACCUSED TO MOTHER

Rajesh returned to the bedroom with a knife and slashed his mother on her arm, shouting “I want to kill you!”

He also poured two pots of boiling water over his mother, before telling her to “go to the toilet and wash up”.

Rajesh then went to his room and fell asleep. He found his mother bleeding and collapsed on the bathroom floor when he awoke, and called an ambulance.

Mdm Narindar was taken to Singapore General Hospital with several injuries, including deep burns over 26.5 per cent of her body. She also suffered a fracture on her left hand, and “acute left subdural haemorrhage”, or traumatic brain injury.

She remained in hospital for 33 days, and also underwent an operation to treat her burns.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Selene Yap said Rajesh had “demonstrated specific intent and planning” in the “brutal and sustained … Attack which involved the use of various implements” including a broom stick and a knife.

NO CANING SOUGHT FOR ACCUSED DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS: DPP

However, DPP Yap said the prosecution would no longer be seeking caning due to Rajesh’s diagnosis, even though his mental illness “did not have a causal link to his offending”.

Rajesh’s lawyer Mr Sunil Sudheesan, who represented him pro bono, as part of the Guidance for Plea Scheme, asked the court to ensure Rajesh receives psychiatric treatment while in prison, and for a “proper structure” to be put in place upon his release to manage his condition.

Mr Sunil told reporters that Rajesh was first been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2002, and had been admitted to the Institute of Mental Health more than 10 times since his diagnosis. There needs to be long-term solutions for accused persons suffering from mental illness, Mr Sunil said.

District Judge Mathew Joseph echoed this point, and said that inter-agency cooperation would be required to treat and manage mentally ill persons during their incarceration and upon their release back into the community.

A collaborative effort between agencies such as the Singapore Police Force, the Ministry of Social and Family Development and social service centres to manage mentally ill offenders could help to mitigate and reduce their risks of re-offending in the future, Judge Mathew said.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

October 17, 2015
A Third Of Students Go To School With No Pocket Money To Buy Lunch?

Record No. of needy students helped.

I refer to the article ”ST School Pocket Money Fund helps record number of needy students” (Straits Times, Oct 10).

It states that ”Pocket money is given to students whose families meet the eligibility criteria of not more than $560 in monthly gross household per capita income.”

Why not only for Singaporeans?

According to the SPMF’s web site – “To qualify as a beneficiary receiving pocket money, the child/youth must be:

A Singapore citizen or permanent resident”.

I understand that almost all other financial assistance schemes are for Singaporeans only. So, why are PRs eligible? (“Fee hike for international students and PRs attending local schools“, Straits Times, Oct 1).

If the assistance is confined to Singaporeans – perhaps the criteria may be less restrictive, such that more Singaporeans may qualify.

Most restrictive criteria amongst all schemes?

As to “Pocket money is given to students whose families meet the eligibility criteria of not more than $560 in monthly gross household per capita income” – I understand that last year’s criteria was “(the child must be) from a family whose per capita net monthly household income is not more than $450″, compared to the $560 gross income now.

If this is the case – typically the net income after deducting say 20 per cent employee CPF contribution may be $448 ($560 gross income less 20 per cent CPF).

SPMF’s criteria may be the most restrictive, of probably all the financial assistance schemes?

For example, ComCare’s criteria is “Families with a monthly household income of $1,900 and below, or a per capita income of $650 can also qualify for assistance if they meet all other criteria”.

So, why is SPMF’s criteria ($560) – $90 less than ComCare’s $650 per capita income?

Only help for 2 years?

As to “STSPMF is committed to helping children and youth who meet the eligibility criteria by providing them with school pocket money for 2 years” – in the previous year it said “providing them with school pocket money for at least two years. In exceptional cases requiring additional help, SPMF will extend the financial assistance to up to four years”

– Why is it that the term of assistance is only for 2 years – is it still up to 4 years in exceptional cases now?

From my experience doing volunteer work in financial counselling over the last decade or so – I have come across many cases of financial stress when SPMF assistance is terminated after 2 or 4 years.

Since a child generally goes through about 13 years of education – why do we have this “2 years” restriction?

Previously, some criteria don’t make sense?

In fact, the criteria previously was arguably even more strange – “Secondly, post-secondary students who wish to receive aid in the past needed to have either tapped on the fund previously or have a sibling who is drawing on the fund. In future, all who meet the income criteria can qualify. This change will benefit new applicants and those from single-child families”.

Why was there a need for either to “have a sibling who is drawing on the fund” or “to have either tapped on the fund previously”?

Were those who did not “”have a sibling drawing on the fund”, or “tapped on the fund previously”, less deserving – until only recently with the changes announced?

Number needing assistance increase more than 3 times?

Notwithstanding the increase in financial assistance (probably to cover inflation) and the widening of the scope of cover – don’t you find it rather alarming that for a developed country like Singapore – the number of students helped increased from 3,375 in 2001 to almost 14,000 now?

In this connection, Professor Tommy Koh said that “About a third of our students go to school with no pocket money to buy lunch” (“Three wishes for the New Year”, Straits Times, Jan 3).

The assistance disbursed increased from $0.9 million in 2001 to the $7 million for this year, as reported in the subject news report.

How much reserves?

Its accumulated fund is $17.9 million.

SG50 give $300,000 only?

As to “We were fortunate to receive $300,000 from the Government through its Care and Share programme launched to celebrate Singapore’s 50th anniversary” – don’t you think that the Government should contribute more?

Reciprocate trust with more transparency?

Since the people have given their trust and mandate – shouldn’t we reciprocate by spending more to help Singaporeans.

Leong Sze Hian

* Submitted by TRE reader.

Source: www.tremeritus.com

October 16, 2015