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Tag: race

  • Racial Harmony Alive In Singapore: Multiracial Effort Helped Old Man Who Fell Off From Bike

    Racial Harmony Alive In Singapore: Multiracial Effort Helped Old Man Who Fell Off From Bike

    What happened last night reaffirmed my beliefs that RACIAL HARMONY is still strong in Singapore !

    About 7:30pm last night, I was about to chase a bus back home at Elias CC. Then a woman yelled “that old man fell down”
    My wife and I turned and we saw that an old man fell off his bike. We got nearer by walking and realized he was bleeding. It then turned into a sprint.

    I yelled to my wife to call the ambulance while I dug my bag for a shirt. I immediately applied pressure on his head where he was bleeding from. He was shivering and muttering. I continued applying pressure and carried him up to sit at the ledge. At that point of time all I could think of is to stop his bleeding as it has already went down to his shirt.

    Out of nowhere, a few passer by came by to help.
    1) a Chinese woman shielded the old man with an umbrella while asking the old man for his family member’s contact.
    2) a Malay man came to us and took the old man’s bicycle aside (it was still in front of me)
    3) An Indian man rushed to the nearest clinic and called the doctor to help
    4) a Bangladeshi man stood behind me to shield me and the old man from the rain while I was still applying pressure.

    The scary part to me was holding the shirt and feeling it getting heavier and warmer. I didn’t want to apply too much till I hurt the uncle nor do I want to be too soft till blood keeps flowing.

    Shortly after, the doctor that the Indian man went to get, came down. He came with an assistant. I relieved my position and the doctor covered the old man’s wound with a gauze. While this was happening :

    1) Malay man was constantly looking out for the ambulance
    2) the Chinese woman got a hold of the old man’s family and comforted the old man that they are on their way
    3) the Indian man gave his wet tissues to my wife so she could wipe blood of the old man’s hand and face
    4) the Bangladeshi man was still using his umbrella to cover the old man and also the doctor

    Like what it seems to be forever, the ambulance finally came. Bringing the old man and his grandson to the hospital.

    I don’t even know the names of the people who helped me last night but I was truly touched and moved by the unconditional help by our fellow Singaporeans (and Foreign help!!)

    What gave me hope that the uncle can make it was that he was even asking for his bicycle when he was being put on the ambulance ?

    Thank you my wife Jenny Insyirah Farhanah Lim for calling the ambulance and aided them to come to the exact location. Then also helping the uncle wipe off the blood on his face and hands.

    But most of all, to those people who rushed down and help, thank you very much. I am extremely touched (‘:

     

    Source: Khairul Farhan

  • Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    It is normal practice for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to give expedited clearance to ministers, ICA said on Tuesday (July 19) in response to media queries.

    ICA also confirmed that Minister for Family and Social Development Tan Chuan-Jin was travelling with 20 bus loads of people, who were his residents and grassroots leaders, on Sunday (July 17) when he, his security officers and the other passengers in his bus were given clearance, without having to queue, at the Tuas Checkpoint at around 9.20pm.

    The passengers in the other 19 buses were cleared through the normal channels, ICA added.

    “It is normal practice for ICA to give expedited clearance to Ministers, on both sides of the Causeway as well as members of the Malaysian royalty,” ICA said.

    “Where they travel with others in a group, ICA officers will use their judgment on the clearance process,” it added.

    ICA’s response came a day after Workers’ Party MP Png Eng Huat commented on his Facebook that he was “dismayed” to see a lane for immigration clearance specially opened for Mr Tan and his residents. Mr Tan is MP for Marine Parade GRC.

    Mr Png said in a post on Monday (July 18) afternoon that the Singapore customs was “overwhelmed” when he and some residents were returning from a one-day trip to Desaru on Sunday. Mr Png is MP for Hougang SMC.

    “Many tired travellers were relieved to see another counter opened but to their dismay, it was only to allow Minister Tan Chuan-Jin to clear as he had joined his residents for a day of outing and fun too,” he said.

    He said that most people probably did not mind this, as “being a minister does come with privileges”, but he noted that some others in the group with Mr Tan also did not have to queue.

    “An entourage of grassroots leaders and members with shopping bags in tow also enjoyed the privilege of fast clearance… No one else could use that counter,” he said.

    Mr Png added that an 89-year-old resident in his group, and one who was injured during the tour had to wait in line.

    “The chaos, anger and confusion at the Tuas Immigration check point certainly made us forget how bad the durians were yesterday, and how bad the system needs to change,” he concluded.

    According to ICA, records show that Mr Png was at the checkpoint for about 30 minutes, and was cleared through immigration.

    When contacted,  Mr Png said that the issue was not about Mr Tan given expedited clearance, but the fact that the grassroots people travelling with him were also given special treatment. “ICA sees it fit to state that I waited about 30 minutes to clear customs. I am sure the Minister would not mind waiting 30 minutes for the rest of his travelling companions to clear customs as well”, he added.

    Another Workers’ Party politician, Kenneth Foo, also wrote about the incident on his Facebook page.

    Mr Png’s post had been shared more than 600 times by Tuesday morning.

    Netizens debated the incident in the comments under the post, with some defending Mr Tan and others saying that grassroots leaders should not be given special treatment.

    Meanwhile, Facebook group Fabrications About The PAP gave an explanation for the incident.

    It explained in a Facebook post on Monday night that Mr Tan was on a semi-official trip. He then chose to join his residents for a Johor Baru tour and take the bus with them instead of driving in.

    “It was a semi-official visit and his security officers carried firearms. Thus, his whole bus of residents was cleared at the same time,” said the post.

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • Deaf And Mute Foodcourt Cleaner Berated By Woman Intends To Quit His Job This Month

    Deaf And Mute Foodcourt Cleaner Berated By Woman Intends To Quit His Job This Month

    The deaf and mute cleaner who was berated by a woman at the Jem foodcourt is planning to quit his job this month.

    The cleaner, Mr Png Lye Heng, 64, indicated to The Straits Times on Monday (June 6) that he wanted to leave because of the incident.

    To communicate with reporters who interviewed him, he gestured “yes” or “no” to questions written in Chinese on a piece of paper.

    When reporters asked him in writing if he intended to leave his job, he pointed to the response “yes”.

    The incident at the Jurong shopping mall caught the public eye over the weekend. A video, posted by Facebook user Euphemia Lee showed a woman lashing out at a manager of the company providing cleaning services to the Jurong shopping mall foodcourt.

    She can be heard berating the manager, who wanted to be known only as Steven: “If he’s (the cleaner) deaf, ask him don’t work, go home and sleep.

    “Just ask the Government to feed him, go and be a beggar! I don’t care, he took my food!”

    Mr Png said he has been “slightly hurt” by the scolding but had forgiven the woman, who was identified as by The New Paper as Ms Fong. He also said he had enjoyed working at the food court and did not find it difficult to work there.

    Steven, the 51-year-old manager, told The Straits Times that Mr Png had not informed him of his intention to leave later this month, but that he had heard about it from the man’s colleagues. He added that Mr Png had been working at the foodcourt for about a year, and that in the past few days, customers had recognised Mr Png and gestured at him.

    The manager said Mr Png was patient with foodcourt customers. He added that he had asked him if he wanted to wear a badge indicating his disability but he turned down the suggestion.

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • Walid J. Abdullah: What Exactly Are People Mourning In Muhammad Ali’s Death?

    Walid J. Abdullah: What Exactly Are People Mourning In Muhammad Ali’s Death?

    As people mourn the death of Muhammad Ali, i can’t help but feel amused. For some of these people, what exactly is being mourned? Which aspect(s) of his life truly ‘inspired’ them?

    Was it the fact that he would not take racism lying down, and would always respond in no uncertain terms? Or was it the fact that he refused to be part of his country’s army, an act that would make him a disloyal citizen to many of these people? Or was it the fact that he was a proud, proud Muslim, and spoke about God whenever he was given a platform?

    Some of these people who are ‘mourning’ are the same ones who are outright or latent racists. Some of them find a lot of comfort in making racist jokes (‘it’s just a joke guys, you should learn to lighten up’ – to which, a part of me always feels like responding ‘it’s just a slap man, doesn’t hurt that much’.) Some of them deny the existence of majority privilege. Some of them think members of other races are biologically inferior. And yet they are ‘admirers’ of Muhammad Ali?

    Some of these people abide by the mantra ‘my country, right or wrong.’ Anything with regard to the military, cannot be questioned: otherwise, you’re being disloyal. Yet they praise Muhammad Ali for refusing to participate in his country’s?

    Some of these people have absolutely zero regard for Muslims. They think Muslims are sub-humans, whose voices should not be heard too much (except when they advocating the ‘reformation of Islam’), and that Muslims ‘demand’ too much.

    And these people are mourning Muhammad Ali?

    But i understand. There is a need to portray one’s self as a ‘global citizen’, however twisted one’s beliefs actually are. When the world mourns for Muhammad Ali, you should mourn for him. When the world criticizes Donald Trump, you should tag along and express outrage.

    Expressing ‘admiration’ for Muhammad Ali, or ‘disdain’ for Trump doesn’t make you an egalitarian, or a non-racist. Ultimately, your own actions and words do.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah

  • President Tony Tan: Pope Francis ‘Keen’ To Learn More About Singapore’s Racial And Religious Harmony

    President Tony Tan: Pope Francis ‘Keen’ To Learn More About Singapore’s Racial And Religious Harmony

    Building bridges across communities through inter-faith dialogues is one of Pope Francis’ main priorities, said Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

    The President said this is an area where Singapore can “share its experience with the Vatican”, during a briefing with reporters on Sunday (May 29) after he concluded a week-long state visit to Italy and the Holy See.

    Dr Tan had received a pontifical audience with Pope Francis earlier this week, the first ever for a Singaporean President. He also met Secretary of State of the Holy See Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who visited Singapore in 2015.

    “For Singapore, racial and religious harmony is fundamental not only to our progress but to our very existence,” he said. “And from the start there was a great deal of emphasis on building bridges across communities. It’s been going on for so many years in Singapore that sometimes we take it for granted. But if you look at the world around us, this is quite an exception to the rule.”

    Dr Tan added that while Singapore was “not insulated” from radical influences, her approach to handling the issue is “possibly a little bit different from other countries”.

    “We look at it not as a security problem but in a holistic way, which involves ideological issues, social issues, family issues,” he said. “And our religious rehabilitation group is playing a great deal – it includes Muslim clerics who talk to those who have been affected by these radical teachings on the Internet.”

    POPE INVITED TO VISIT SINGAPORE

    Dr Tan said Pope Francis was “very keen” to learn more and “to see how we integrated the different communities together”, while he updated the Pope on the major role played by the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore in the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony, working with other communities to build religious and racial harmony.

    During the meeting, the President highlighted to the Pope the valuable contributions the Catholic Church has made to Singapore’s development, including in the areas of education, healthcare and social welfare. He also invited Pope Francis to visit Singapore, something he said the Pope was pleased to accept.

    Looking ahead, Dr Tan said he sees growth in the relationship between Singapore and the Vatican, with the Catholic Church playing a very important role “not only within the Catholic community but also among wider society in Singapore”.

    “That’s very fundamental for us, and that’s something we can share with the rest of the world,” Dr Tan said.

     

    Source: ChannelNewsAsia