Tag: Singapore

Calvin Cheng: I Don’t Care About Becoming Mr. Popular And Running For Political Office

I think it’s known by now that I have strong opinions, and I am not afraid to voice them, even if if makes me hugely unpopular.

Popularity is entirely of no concern to me as I have no intention of ever running for elected office.

I am even willing to speak up on issues that make me unpopular with my own supporters. Like any conservative base anywhere else in the world, this includes people who are anti-LGBT and pro-death penalty. On these issues I have made my stance very clear that I think article 377a is discriminatory, and that the death penalty for drug offences should be abolished. This obviously caused consternation amongst my supporters, but if I don’t hold true to my beliefs, I will no longer be me.

However, as can be seen recently, people react nastily to my posts with abuse and vulgarities. I have been unfriended both online and offline.

This should not be the cost of people speaking up.

I have been receiving private messages of support from people who tell me they are scared to support me publicly and have begged me to keep their identity secret.

This is a sad state of affairs.

Finally, I give as good as I get. I believe passionately that in normal engagements just as in real life, one should start off being civil, courteous and nice. Always be as polite as possible.

However, I also believe, just like in real life, that the best way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them. Meet strength with strength. Same with online trolls. Some people will not back off unless they know you refuse to be a victim and you will stand up for yourself, and give as good as you get. A certain amount of ruthlessness is necessary to deal with abusive people.

I hope this not only explains my stance online, but also the principles that guide me. I also hope that by sharing, some of the many people who have messaged me privately these few days will start standing up for yourselves.

If you keep relying on others to do it, one day they may decide they have had enough and stop bothering.

Source: Calvin Cheng

June 4, 2015
Wife Of Man Shot By Police In Shangri-La Incident Say They Were Planning New Life Together

At 4.20AM on Sunday, Ms Nassida Nasir woke up in panic.

Her husband, Mohamed Taufik Zahar, was not at home as they had argued – and something felt wrong.

Frantic, the 32-year-old starting calling and texting him.

“C u nvr pick up my cal..im suspecting a lot of things… as long u are safe,” read one message at 4.22am.

Minutes later, Taufik, 34, would be stopped at a police checkpoint in Ardmore Park near Shangri-La Hotel, where a summit attended by defence chiefs was being held.

When he crashed his red Subaru Impreza through the roadblock, the police opened fire, killing him.

Officers found packets of heroin in the car. Taufik’s two passengers – Mohamed Ismail, 31, and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26 – were arrested and, on Monday, charged with drug trafficking.

The police said Taufik was wanted for failing to attend court for an offence of criminal intimidation. He also had a criminal record.

The incident that made international headlines cost Ms Nassida the father of her young child. Yesterday, at her parents’ flat in Tampines, she told The Straits Times in a shaky voice about how she first met him in primary school, lost touch, but met again and started dating him two years ago.

Back then, Ms Nassida was a club dancer and Taufik worked as a nightclub bouncer.

“I danced at clubs, and he was a bit of a gangster,” she said. They would party nightly and take party drugs.

Then their relationship turned serious. “We stopped partying and started staying at home to enjoy each other’s company,” said Ms Nassida.

She became pregnant last year and they got married two months ago, just after their daughter was born.

“He’s stubborn. We were prepared for him to go (to prison) for a year,” said Ms Nassida, referring to his offence of criminal intimidation.

After that, they planned to start a new life.

Meanwhile, Taufik worked as a logistics mover, making about $60 a day.

He was passionate about cars but did not have a driver’s licence, she said. “He took the driving test three times and failed. Maybe God knew something like this would happen.”

Since she had a licence, Ms Nassida rented a Subaru for $260, planning to take the family to Sentosa on Sunday. Instead, they argued just after midnight and he stormed off with the car.

“I think what the police did was right but it’s not fair to me,” she said.

“I didn’t get a chance to kiss him goodbye. My daughter won’t get to see him when she grows up.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

June 4, 2015
Edwin Tong: Allegation That I Scolded Volunteers Completely False, I Did Not Even Have To Queue

I have been a fan of football since I was very young and was thrilled to attend the @SEAGames2015 football opener between ‪#‎Singapore‬ and the Philippines at @JalanBesarStadium. I have a lot of regard for our ‪#‎SEAGames2015‬ volunteers, the people on the ground who make these Games tick. In fact, many in my family and amongst my friends are SEA Games volunteers, and I know how much time and sacrifices they have put in.

So I was very surprised at the contents of an article on social media, claiming that I was supposedly “clearly unhappy” about having to wait in queue at the stadium or had shouted at volunteers.

This is completely false.

As I was trying to make my way into the stadium that night, I had stopped to ask for directions to the correct entry point to my allocated seat. I was given directions to the correct entrance and I made my own way there. At no point did I make an issue with having to queue or complain to anyone about having to queue. In fact, the contention that I had been unhappy about being made to queue or to “wait so long” is plainly false because I did not have to queue at all that night to get to my seat, let alone that I had apparently complained about having to queue.

The next game is against Myanmar tomorrow night. Please come and watch what promises to be a very exciting match, especially after Myanmar upset Indonesia 4-2 last night. Let’s stay united behind @TeamSingapore at the SEA Games and spur them on to give their best!

Source: Edwin Tong

June 4, 2015
Irfan Fandi Not Living In Famous Father’s Shadow

Irfan Fandi admits he did not expected to be called upon so early in the 28th SEA Games during their Group A opener against Philippines on Monday night.

The forward had not been included in the starting line-up, but was thrown into the fray in front of a sold-out Jalan Besar crowd after 36 minutes with the match still scoreless.

“Actually, I was quite surprised to come in so early as I thought the coach would put me in the second half to create more attacking options,” Irfan told the press on Wednesday at the team’s hotel base.

The 17-year-old went on to impress throughout the game with some fine hold-up play, while also creating two good chances for Sahil Suhaimi. He came close to scoring as well, with the Young Lions eventually running out 1-0 victors.

Fandi family cheers on Irfan

Irfan also felt “very honoured” to play in front of his family, with father Fandi Ahmad in the stands while mother Wendy Jacobs watched from the VIP area with his siblings.

“My whole family was there except for my brother (Ikhsan), who’s in Chile, so I just gave everything,” he recalled. “After the game, I saw them and I felt good, and my dad said I played a very good game and should keep on working harder.”

Head coach Aide Iskandar was pleased with Irfan’s performance, adding that his 1.87m frame gives the team a different dimension in attack. The former Lions captain also believes that he is not living in the shadow cast over him by his famous father.

“For Irfan, we must make sure that when he’s given a chance to play, he is able to contribute because there are a lot of expectations on his shoulders,” he explained.

“I believe this boy is strong mentally… a lot of people are comparing him to his father, but I think he’s his own man.”

While Aide remained coy on whether Irfan would start the next game against Myanmar on Thursday, the player himself is more than ready for it.

“I just want to focus on my game,” said Irfan, who is the youngest squad member. “Hopefully, if I start or I don’t start, I will just give my best.”

Adam Swandi (jersey number 5) celebrates as Singapore scores against the Philippines. Photo: SINGSOC/Action Images

Aide: Adam is like Pirlo

However, another starlet in the side looks likely to retain his starting berth, with Aide set to continue using Adam Swandi in central midfield.

It is a new role for the 19-year-old Adam, usually more accustomed to being deployed further upfront, but Aide is confident the skillful teenager can adapt – and drew comparisons between him and Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo.

“For Adam, one thing about him is that he has sublime technique, quite similar to Pirlo,” he said.
“He can orchestrate play from the back and if given a chance to play in front in the number 10 role, I’m pretty sure he can excel now because he knows how to attack and at the same time he also knows how to defend.”

Source: https://sg.sports.yahoo.com

June 4, 2015
Young Lions Coach Keeps Cards Close To His Chest
GROUP A

SINGAPORE v MYANMAR

(Tonight, 8.30pm, Jalan Besar Stadium,  Singtel TV Ch 134, MediaCorp okto)

Less than 24 hours before the Singapore Under-23s take on Myanmar in their second Group A match at the Jalan Besar Stadium tonight, the Young Lions still remain, anxiously, in the dark.

“No one has a clue as to who’s going to start,” midfielder Adam Swandi told The New Paper.

Indeed, coach Aide Iskandar was not exaggerating when he said that he’s keeping his cards close to his chest – after the 1-0 opening victory over the Philippines on Monday.

Although they collected three precious points from their first game at the 28th South-east Asia (SEA) Games, Singapore performed below expectations against a largely amateur Philippines team.

Changes, Aide said, are likely as the Young Lions face an in-form Myanmar side, buoyed by their stunning 4-2 win over Indonesia on Tuesday.

The 40-year-old coach will likely have to do without playmaker Shahfiq Ghani once again, as the 23-year-old struggles to recover from a knee injury.

Pravin Guanasagaran is in line for a start in the midfield engine room, in place of Safirul Sulaiman.

But the big dilemma Aide faces is whether to field striker Irfan Fandi from the start or off the bench.

The 17-year-old made an impression in the Philippines game when he came on for the ineffective Shamil Sharif after just 35 minutes.

The 1.87-metre tall Irfan held the ball up well and fashioned chances for Sahil Suhaimi and himself.

Aide, however, was giving nothing away, although he admitted that he wasn’t ruling out starting both Irfan and Sahil up front.

“It’s possible. We’ve done it before, so there is no issue there,” he said.

“Sahil is a different player from Irfan and they complement each other well. It could give our opponents a headache with those two in attack.”

Both Aide and assistant coach S Subramani have had discussions with key men Sahil and Faris Ramli.

The LionsXII duo failed to live up to expectations against the Philippines, with Sahil missing three gilt-edged opportunities and winger Faris being a mere passenger throughout the match.

“We’ve had a chat with both players. They know themselves that they weren’t up to scratch in the first game,” Aide said.

EXPECTATIONS

“Maybe the expectations were too high or maybe it was just the first game and it takes time to get their engines started.

“But I told them that you’re only as good as your last game – so they must keep their momentum from their impressive displays for the LionsXII going.”

The Myanmarese may be without star men Kyaw Ko Ko and Kyi Lin – both with the senior side for the World Cup qualifiers – but they showed on Tuesday that they had enough pace and killer instinct to punish Singapore.

Said Aide: “I wasn’t surprised to see Myanmar beat Indonesia. But, to be fair, the Indonesians are slow starters and I think the news from Fifa (to ban the Indonesian FA) affected them.

“Myanmar play good attacking football, pressure high up the pitch and have speed in attack.

“But, rest assured, we have a game plan (to counter them).”

S’PORE’S PROBABLE LINE-UP:
- Syazwan Buhari
- Al-Qaasimy Rahman
- M Anumanthan
- Sheikh Abdul Hadi
- Shakir Hamzah
- Adam Swandi
- Pravin Guanasagaran
- Stanely Ng
- Faris Ramli
- Shamil Sharif
- Sahil Suhaimi
Source: www.tnp.sg
June 4, 2015