Tag: Singapore

  • PCF Childcare Have No Heart, Instilling Wrong Values In Children

    PCF Childcare Have No Heart, Instilling Wrong Values In Children

    These days, PCF childcare centre management have no eyes to see, no heart to feel.

    You give my child field trip form late last week, expect payment by tomorrow. Cash. What’s the point of the CDA account? Aren’t educational field trips by PCF childcare centres supposed to be funded by CDA account?

    Doesn’t help that they have a “carry balls” Parent Support Group that only thinks about the welfare of their own children. Hey, spare a thought for those parents who find it hard to cough up money at the end of the month! Not everyone is rich, okay! To you, $20 per child is nothing. It could mean the difference between eating tomorrow or not for others!

    To “sell” this field trip, the school has pumped up the children’s spirits. How would a child react when he sees his friends going to field trip but he can’t because Mummy and Daddy can’t afford it?? That’s what a CDA account is for, you know!

    You want to teach about “haves and have-nots”? Don’t need to go to Pertapis! Start with the childcare centre itself! Not everyone can afford what’s affordable to you!

    A big thank you to the management and the “sar kar” Parents Support Group of PCF Sparkletots Yuhua, Block 264 Jurong East Street 24 for introducing our children to the concept of class segregation!

    (Yes, please call me down for a “clarification session” or whatever. I’m looking forward to it. But remember, not all parents work office hours. Sorry to ruin your perfect little worlds.)

    ‪#‎PCF‬‪#‎EveryChildShouldBeTreatedTheSame‬

    Halimah Yacob, Zainal Bin Sapari,

     

    Source: Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali

  • Joshua Simon: What Is Racial Harmony?

    Joshua Simon: What Is Racial Harmony?

    I propose a challenge.

    Go to town. Ion, 313, Orchard Central, Wisma, Takashimaya – any mall in town. I want you to count how many Malay/Indian men and women featured on the posters.

    Ok now out of town. Wherever you go in Singapore now open your eyes to it and really count. On the bus. On the train. On the commercials before the movie starts. On the newspapers. On the magazines. On the tv commercials.

    Are you cool with that?

    Because it seems to me the ‘Singaporean Look’ is a skinny Chinese girl with long hair and a big smile! ☺️ Yay and her boyfrend smiling right behind chasing after her is a slim fit Chinese boy with straight hair and a big smile! Tee-hee!

    Are you cool with that? Seems to me we are. Coz if this was the US we’d bring this up and talk about it. Really, talk about it and fix it. But Josh this is Asia! And this is the Asian look! Ah, see that’s the problem right there.

    As a young kid growing up in Singapore, I’d never see someone of my skin color rocking ads and headlines unless it’s Singapore Idol Season. I couldn’t entertain my first ambition of being an actor coz every role (although said open to all races) would go to the man with the Singaporean Look.

    I do music, I do radio. I’m behind a microphone. If I had a dollar for every person that has come up to me saying “OMG I didn’t know you’re Indian!” I’d be able to afford a down payment for an HDB flat.In the industry, I’ve had peers get turned down gigs because they were too “ethic looking”. I don’t watch Channel 8 or Vasantham but… off the top of my head I can name you 10 Chinese local celebrities (includes Rui En). Is it just me?

    Maybe there isn’t enough talented Indian and Malay celebrities. Or maybe we’re not given a chance to see them.
    Who’s stopping them? Who’s saying no to these people? Who’s decided what the Singapore Look is?

    I’m not celebrating Racial Harmony in Singapore till I get my answers and see some change. It’s 2016. Do not get complacent. I represent the next generation that isn’t gonna just keep quiet and nod my head and say it’s all okay.

    Racial Harmony isn’t just about us getting along. It’s equal opportunities. Equal chances to shine. I wanna see diversity.

    I can smell the smoke and tell that something ain’t right. Now I wanna see people move. Share that spotlight.

     

    Source: Joshua Simon

  • You Don’t Need A Fortune To Be Fortunate

    You Don’t Need A Fortune To Be Fortunate

    Hi everyone, meet Mdm Ah Heng, 95 year old box collector from Kreta Ayer. Despite being the OLDEST box collector we’ve ever met in SIngapore, she is also one of the most cheerful and positive. And amazingly at 95, she’s still very agile and strong. Maybe what keeps her going strong is her positive energy. Although some may claim that it is because she keeps herself fit by “exercising”, we beg to differ because other box collectors too, “exercise” however, many of them shouldn’t be walking at all along dangerous roads if they are limping in pain due to their aging limbs. So it has to be her positive energy that keeps her strong.

    She speaks Cantonese and a tiny bit of Malay and I could barely understand what she’s telling me, but she never stops trying and she seems to enjoy talking a lot. She will walk a few metres and turn back and continue talking then walk away again and turn back and continue talking.

    One of the things that i can understand, she said was “Saya susah tapi saya tak nak susahkan orang.” (translated: I’m poor but I do not want to trouble others.) She says that in the most positive manner that she sounds like she’s thankful to even be alive and do not have anything to complain. She’s not married and do not have children and surviving on her own. What an amazing woman. Many of the box collectors we met, who are in their 70s and 80s could barely walk properly. But this lady was ever so lively and cheerful. We talked and talked all along standing by the side of a small road for almost half hour. She was so full of energy and very appreciative of the vouchers and meal coupons that we just gave her. We promised to meet her every month to continue paying forward her following months’ meals at the nearby Mixed Vegetable Stall at the coffeeshop of No.85 Keong Saik Rd.

    If you speak CANTONESE and you LOVE TO CHAT, why not PM us and we will intro you to her. You’ll have a great time chatting with this lady!

    Very special thanks to Stephanie for helping out with the distribution and helping explain to the box collectors on how to redeem the coupons. And thank you for your help stamping next month’s coupons.

    And also a very special thanks to everyone who contributed to our Monthly Meal Funds for the box collectors.

    “No One Can Do Everything But Everyone Can Do Something”

    #FreeRaif #IamRaifBadawi

     

    Source: Happy People Helping People Foundation

  • Yaacob Ibrahim: Nilai-Nilai Generasi Lalu Harus Terus Diamalkan Masyarakat Islam Hari Ini

    Yaacob Ibrahim: Nilai-Nilai Generasi Lalu Harus Terus Diamalkan Masyarakat Islam Hari Ini

    Dengan perubahan dan transformasi yang berlaku dalam dunia sekarang ini, budaya lebih progresif yang dipegang generasi lalu seperti saling menghormati, merendah diri dan bersikap inklusif masih perlu diamalkan oleh masyarakat Islam hari ini.

    Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam Dr Yaacob Ibrahim juga berkata menerusi pendekatan kontekstual, masyarakat Islam mampu berpegang teguh kepada kepercayaannya dan pada masa yang sama menyumbang kepada pembangunan negara.

    Beliau berkata demikian di Persidangan Islam dalam Dunia Kontemporari yang dianjurkan Sekolah Pengajian Antarabangsa Rajaratnam RSIS pagi tadi (28 Apr).

    Dr Yaacob berkata sudah menjadi sifat setiap kumpulan agama di mana para penganutnya mahu memikir dengan mendalam bagaimana mengamalkan ajaran agama sebaik mungkin dan pada masa yang sama terus menjalin kehidupan hari ini.

    Tetapi tidak seperti mereka yang menganggap bahawa visi dan tafsiran mereka sahaja yang mutlak dan tidak boleh dikritik, masyarakat Islam sepatutnya mengamalkan budaya yang lebih progresif dengan nilai-nilai seperti hormat-menghormati, merendah diri dan bersikap inklusif yang dipegang teguh oleh generasi terdahulu.

    Beliau berkata pendekatan yang mengambil kira konteks dalam mengamalkan agama akan memastikan seorang Muslim itu boleh terus berpegang kepada tradisi agamanya dan pada masa yang sama menyumbang kepada pembangunan negara.

    Dr Yaacob memberi contoh bagaimana masyarakat Islam Singapura menyesuaikan diri dalam konteks masyarakat berbilang kaum serta negara yang dipimpin secara sekular.

    “Sebagai contoh ialah MBF, di mana diwujudkan oleh Encik Lee Kuan Yew, untuk kita gunakan sistem CPF untuk mendapatkan dana untuk mewujudkan masjid-masjid yang baru yang akan memenuhi keperluan keagamaan masyarakat Melayu/Islam,” kata Dr Yaacob.

    “Ia menunjukkan bahawa keinginan kita untuk mencari huraian yang praktikal mendorong kita untuk sama-sama bekerjasama untuk mencari apa yang dinamakan “common ground” antara apa yang kita pegang sebagai kepercayaan kita, dan apa yang kita perlu untuk berlaku di Singapura,” tambah beliau.

    Pemerintah juga mempunyai peranan dalam menyediakan sekitaran di mana dasar-dasar pemerintah menggalak kesederhanaan dan rasa hormat terhadap kepelbagaian budaya.

    Dasar-dasar sebegitu menyokong pembangunan masyarakat yang padu.

    Atas sebab itu, Singapura kata Dr Yaacob tidak menyokong mereka yang bersikap eksklusif dan yang cuba meletakkan sesebuah budaya sebagai lebih baik daripada yang lain.

    Menurut beliau, ajaran-ajaran bersifat eksklusif boleh menyebabkan sikap saling tidak mempercayai semakin menebal di kalangan para penganut agama yang berlainan dan akhirnya ini akan membawa kepada konflik.

    Masyarakat Singapura kata Dr Yaacob mempunyai tradisi berpegang kepada prinsip-prinsip sederhana, inklusif, menghormati kepelbagaian dan menyertai dengan aktif dalam pembangunan negara.

    Inilah cara Singapura yang harus kita pertahankan dengan bersungguh-sungguh.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Woman Gets Three Weeks Jail And Five-Year Driving Ban For Fatal Accident Along KJE

    Woman Gets Three Weeks Jail And Five-Year Driving Ban For Fatal Accident Along KJE

    A civil servant who caused the death of a motorcyclist in a chain collision along an expressway was sentenced to three weeks’ jail and banned from driving for five years on Wednesday (April 27).

    Nur Azkiya Ahmad, 34, is appealing against sentence and is out on $15,000 bail.

    She had pleaded guilty to causing the death of Mr Jeremy Lim Yew Leong, 34, by failing to keep a proper lookout for vehicles that had come to a stop due to traffic congestion along Kranji Expressway (KJE) on the morning of March 31 last year.

    Court documents say that she swerved her car to the left to avoid a near collision with the front vehicle, which in turn caused her car to swipe Mr Lim’s and another motorcycle.

    Mr Lim rammed into a car. He was flung to the extreme left lane into the path of a moving prime mover which ran over him.

    A district court heard that there was a heavy traffic flow along KPE that day.

    Azkiya was driving her Kia car at 80kmh along the extreme right lane. She failed to notice that a red car in front of her and other cars ahead had come to a stop due to traffic congestion.

    She then realised this suddenly and applied her brakes. She also swerved her car to the left to avoid hitting the red car and her car hit Mr Lim’s motorcycle.

    Mr Lim’s motorcycle was pushed to the centre lane and hit a car. He was flung off his machine and slid under a prime mover which ran over him on the extreme left lane. He died in hospital about 1½ hours later.

    The prosecution had sought a jail term of three to four weeks plus a five-year driving ban.

    But Azkiya’s lawyer Abdul Jalil urged the court to impose a fine. He argued that the accident was cause partly by other motorists, too, including Mr Lim.

    Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephanie Koh said Azkiya had “demonstrated a high degree of negligence”. She failed to notice stationary vehicles in front of her on an expressway, and thereafter, she reacted without regard for other road users by swerving suddenly .

    She said Azkiya was the substantial cause of the accident, and it was unclear how the other vehicles contributed to the outcome .

    Agreeing that Azkiya had displayed a high degree of negligence, District Judge Salina Ishak said a prudent and reasonable driver is expected to take reasonable precautions to be able to react to sudden stoppages on the expressway by maintaining a safe distance with the vehicles ahead.

    She said in this case, Azkiya had clearly failed to keep a proper lookout for vehicles in front of her.

    She said Azkiya collided into not one but two motorcycles. The second charge of causing hurt to the other rider by doing an act so negligent as to endanger life was considered in sentencing.

    Azkiya could have been jailed for up to two years and fined for causing death by negligence.

     

    Source: The Straits Times

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