Tag: Singapore

TNP Readers: Fandi Ahmad Our Choice To Light Cauldron

I support Godfrey Robert’s call to give Fandi Ahmad and son, Irfan, the honour of lighting the SEA Games cauldron.

I am an ordinary female Singaporean in my 50s who does not usually pay too much attention to sports news, but I felt compelled to write to support Fandi for this key SEA Games assignment.

Fandi is a son of Singapore and his name is immediately recognisable to all Singaporeans.

So much so that even a non-sports fan like me is aware of how much he has contributed to Singapore in football.

Like Godfrey pointed out, Fandi earned this honour by dedicating his life to his sport and, in doing so, put Singapore on the international sporting/football arena.

His time is now! Fandi! Fandi! Fandi!

– Soo Kim Bee

I totally agree that Fandi is the right man to light the cauldron. Everyone can associate with him – young and pioneer.

– Robert Chitty

I’m in support of giving Fandi Ahmad and his son Irfan the honour of lighting the cauldron on June 5.

These are the reasons:

1 Football is the No. 1 sport in Singapore.

2 He is the most recognisable sportman in Singapore.

3 He is an inspirational icon with humility and kindness.

– Rasheedy Hamid

I fully support Fandi Ahmad and his son, Irfan, to light up the SEA Games cauldron.

Fandi is the most famous sports personality in Singapore that all Singaporeans are familiar with.

He is humble, a gentleman and a family man. And not forgetting football can bring the whole nation together, so Fandi’s the right man for the job.

Hopefully, the footballers can be inspired by him and win the elusive gold medal on home soil.

– Jason Hc

I would like to thank Godfrey Robert for standing up for Fandi Ahmad.

I’ve travelled to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia and some parts of Europe and,  when some people I meet in those countries find out that I’m from Singapore, they smile and ask me if my name is Fandi Ahmad!

A lot of people who know football, especially those from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, have very high regard for Fandi.

Fandi is not only popular and famous in Singapore, but he also put Singapore on the world map (when he signed for FC Groningen in Holland) long before Marina Bay Sands got famous.

– Azariamin

Fandi Ahmad is Singapore’s favourite footballing son.

He is humble and a popular figure in the local football community.

But since it’s SG50, the honour to light the SEA Games cauldron should go to someone who has won an Olympic medal before.

My choice to light the cauldron is pioneer citizen Tan Howe Liang (who won a silver medal in weightlifting at the 1960 Rome Games).

– Chiang Ging Seng

Source: www.tnp.sg

May 20, 2015
Walid J Abdullah: Crucial That Singapore Muslims Involve Themselves And Contribute In Issues Beyond The Traditional

It is important that Muslims – in Singapore and elsewhere – speak up, donate, and craft solutions to issues beyond traditional ones that we are used to be passionate about (hijab, Islam and homosexuality, Palestine etc). A good example would be the collection of funds for the Nepali victims a couple of weeks ago.

We should be more proactive in dealing with issues of poverty, homelessness, refugees, amongst others, so as to truly display the ‘mercy to all’ conduct that is befitting of our faith.

Don’t get me wrong: i’m not saying that we should not take up those traditional issues, i am saying we must go beyond that as well.

It is especially difficult to speak up/do something in issues where there is minimal gain (due to the unpopularity of the matter, like the Rohingyan refugees, as opposed to the Palestinian crisis) and plenty of costs (for example, ‘sensitive’ topics like poverty), but it has to be done. And, i believe this is one of the things that religion in general can offer to the modern world.

On that note, anyone knows of anything we could do/could think of w.r.t the Rohingyan crisis? Any idea is welcomed, from the trivial to the sustainable.

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

May 20, 2015
Chinsese Couple Helped Malay Woman And Husband Who Suffered Heart Attack At A Wedding

Stomper Maimunah will always be grateful to the nurse and the couple who stepped forward to help her husband when he collapsed at a colleague’s wedding.

In a phone interview with Stomp, Maimunah recounted her story:

“I was at a wedding with my husband and grandson when my spouse suddenly collapsed.

“There were so many people at the event and but many of them were too shocked to come forward.

“Some of the people there even pronounced my husband dead. I was crying hysterically as I couldn’t believe it.

“Then a woman came forward and declared that she was a qualified nurse. She conducted CPR on my husband.

“She did all she could to save my husband.

“My grandson and I were both crying hysterically, during this tough time a couple approached us.

“During this tough time a couple approached us. The wife hugged me, prayed for me reassured me that everything will be fine.

“They provided me some emotional support that helped me regained my sanity.

“The CPR was successful and they managed to revive my husband but he failed consciousness.”

Maimunah added that her husband was rushed into the ambulance as soon as the paramedics came.

However, strict policies meant that only one person could travel in the ambulance with her husband.

At this point, the couple who had offered support to Maimunah told the distraught woman that they’d bring her grandson to the hospital.

Fortunately, Maimunah was able to convince the paramedics to allow her to bring her grandson in the vehicle.

At the hospital, Maimunah’s husband was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was put on life support.

While she was waiting for her husband to recover, she noticed that the caring couple from the wedding had made their way to the hospital.

Maimunah said:

“I don’t them but they were there to offer support.

“There were so many people at the wedding but this couple rushed down to see how my husband was doing.

“I was very touched by their caring act.

“They have become like family to me.

“They bought food for my family and even made sure that it was halal. They kept praying for me even though we’re not of the same religion.

“They were supportive.”

Maimunah added that her husband has since made a speedy recovery but still has breathing difficulties.

She also mentioned how the couple had come to the hospital a few days later to visit her husband and the family.

Maimunah told told Stomp:

“I am really very thankful to them. I don’t even know how to say ‘Thank you’.

“I feel so touched.

“I just want to extend my gratitude to the couple and the nurse for helping me in my time of need.

“It is very rare to see people like these nowadays.”

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

May 20, 2015
Strong Hints From Lee Hsien Loong That Elections Are Coming Real Soon

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday gave the strongest hint yet that the General Election (GE) is imminent, and could be held before it is due by January 2017.

During a radio call-in programme on Chinese-language station Capital 95.8FM, Mr Lee was asked by presenter Gao Yixin when the next GE will be held. In response, Mr Lee used the analogy of a pregnancy, and said the timing of the GE is unlike giving birth where there is some predictability when the child will be born.

Borrowing Mr Lee’s analogy, Ms Gao asked if “a baby has been conceived”. To which, Mr Lee said, smiling: “The baby has already been conceived earlier on.”

Turning to his message to voters, Mr Lee said leadership renewal has always been an important issue raised during previous GEs and the coming elections will not be an exception, which is why Singaporeans should not take the elections lightly.

To vote based on the assumption that the People’s Action Party will form the Government, and, therefore, think about giving away some seats to the Opposition “is a dangerous thinking”, he added.

Reiterating a message to party activists at the PAP60 Rally in December that the next GE will be a “deadly serious fight”, Mr Lee said: “I think the Opposition will contest in every GRC in the upcoming elections, unlike in previous GEs where many areas were not contested. In such a situation, every vote is important, every Singaporean’s decision has an impact, we have to consider it carefully.”

Asked if a new batch of leaders will be introduced at the coming polls, Mr Lee said about half of these leaders have been introduced in the 2011 GE. More potential candidates for ministerial positions will be among the newcomers introduced at the next elections, he added.

Mr Lee also noted how the times have changed and Singapore can no longer be ruled under a “parenting-style” leadership. Instead, Singaporeans should be involved and discuss national issues, he said.

He also said the Government had not expected the outpouring of grief when founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew died in March.

In particular, he said he was surprised at the reaction from the younger generation, given that they did not have as much interaction with the late Mr Lee as the older generations did.

During the one-hour radio show, Mr Lee took questions from eight callers on topics ranging from parents’ stress about the PSLE, to ways to change society’s mindset about pursuing degrees and graciousness in Singapore.

Mr Lee’s hints of the timing of the next elections come after two research firms released reports last week, saying a GE is likely to be held this year.

BMI Research said the People’s Action Party may look to hold elections before the next Budget is introduced and possibly before the end of the year.

Blackbox Research also said in its bulletin last month that “there has not been a better time for the PAP to begin planning for an early election”, reporting that overall satisfaction with the Government has risen eight points from a year ago.

Source: www.todayonline.com

May 20, 2015
New Stadium Pitch Unveiled By Singapore Sports Hub

The Singapore Sports Hub on Tuesday (May 19) unveiled part of its brand new pitch at the National Stadium, just in time for the 28^th SEA Games, which kicks off on Jun 5.

The Sports Hub said it has named Australia-based company HG Sports Turf as the official supplier of the Eclipse Stabilised Turf for the National Stadium for three years.

The technology combines natural grass with artificial grass – but is recognised by FIFA as a 100 per cent natural turf, Sports Hub said. “The reinforcement of the artificial grass combined with the open-weave backing guarantees stability and an even playing surface” when installed, it added.

How does the new National Stadium turf technology work? Find out: bit.ly/1dh0Aon

Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Tuesday, 19 May 2015

The pitch installation comprises 8,000 square metres or 800 rolls of Eclipse Stabilised Turf, each weighing 750kg. These will be transported from the nursery to the stadium with 40 flat-bed trucks within 48 hours and can be used immediately after installation. The turf has an expected lifespan of 15 years in Singapore.

How can we have an Opening Ceremony for the SEA GAMES 2015 at the National Stadium, and still maintain a quality pitch for the subsequent competitive events? In most countries, they solve this problem with two different stadiums. We don’t have such a luxury of space in Singapore. So the Singapore Sports Hub has introduced a “lay and play” solution, where the grass is grown elsewhere, and then transported and laid onto the Stadium right after the Opening Ceremony. They tested this out today to make sure everything will go well for the Games. Here’s a video of how it works!

Posted by Lawrence Wong on Tuesday, 19 May 2015

Singapore Sports Hub chief executive Philippe Collin-Delavaud noted that “HG Sports Turf have had success in stadia and events under challenging conditions and bring with them a highly trained and experienced team of professionals to install and maintain the turf at the nursery and at the National Stadium.”

To date, HG Sports Turf has supplied turf solutions to world-class sporting venues such as Etihad Stadium and Melbourne Cricket Ground, as well as at events like last year’s AFC Football Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia.

“We will continue to closely monitor and test the quality of the pitch before, during and after each event to ensure it is performing to our expectations of delivering a world-class facility,” Mr Collin-Delavaud added.

To maximise the potential of the Eclipse Stabilised Turf, Sports Hub said it has put in place growth lights, additional fans for air movement and made improvements to the pitch irrigation system. It has also installed moisture and temperature probes to manage the climate in the stadium. If there is a non-sporting event in the stadium, protective covering will be laid over the pitch as well.

Sports Hub has yet to cover the entire stadium with the new turf, but enlisted the help of a few of Singapore’s Under-23 footballers, including Irfan Fandi, to test out the grass.

The previous hybrid turf at the National Stadium was subject to scrutiny because of its poor condition, drawing criticism and concern from international sporting heavyweights Juventus and the Maori All Blacks, among others.

Last October, Sport Singapore took issue with the “sub-standard readiness” of the pitch which appeared sandy and patchy during a Brazil-Japan friendly, and urged the Sports Hub management to “do everything necessary” to ensure the pitch meets ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) requirements.

To preserve the pitch for the AFF Suzuki Cup, Sports Hub took a number of drastic measures, including cancellation of an international rugby match between the Maori All Blacks and the Asia Pacific Dragons, postponed a Jay Chou concert, and moved the stage for Friday’s Mariah Carey concert away from the pitch.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

May 20, 2015