Tag: Singaporeans

50 Aussie-Style BBQs Across The Heartlands On Jun 28

Come Jun 28, the heartlands — from Jurong to Tampines — will be alight with 50 Aussie-style barbecues, as part of the Australian High Commission’s celebrations to mark Singapore’s Golden Jubilee, as well as 50 years of friendship between the two nations.

The barbecues will be held at 22 sites across the island, including Toa Payoh Central Community Club, Jem Shopping Mall, Block 516 Tampines Central 7, Punggol East Road and Haji Lane.

About 500 Australian volunteers will be firing up the grills to serve 10,000 beef and lamb steaks which weigh 1,000kg in total, about the weight of an average car.

The event will bring Australians and Singaporeans together “to share our mutual love of good food and a chat”, said Australian High Commissioner Philip Green in a statement announcing the barbecue locations.

The 50 BBQs event is the last of Australia’s 50 Bridges arts and community programme to celebrate SG50. Singaporeans can also take part in the 50 Bridges photo contest where they can submit up to 20 photos of either 50 Walls artworks or a 50 BBQs event, capturing the Australian-Singaporean relationship in a creative way.

They stand to win a pair of return business class tickets to Melbourne.

For more details about the competition and the list of sites for 50 BBQs, visit sg50oz.sg or the Australia In Singapore Facebook page.

List of sites involved in ’50 BBQs’:

1. Toa Payoh Central Community Club
2. Pavilion in front of Block 30 Telok Blangah Rise
3. Pek Kio Community Club
4. Tanglin Community Club
5. Viz Holland Condominium
6. Bishan Park
7. Serangoon Community Club
8. Block 516 Tampines Central 7
9. Rooftop garden at multistorey carpark of Block 890 Tampines Ave 1
10. Punggol Hardcourt at 50 Punggol East Rd (opp Riviera LRT)
11. Multipurpose Court next to Block 166 Yishun Ring Road
12. Bukit Timah Community Club
13. ACE The Place Community Club (Woodlands Ave 1)
14. Block 202 Bedok North Street 1
15. Kampong Park, Serangoon Ave 3
16. Jem Shopping Mall
17. Bukit Batok East Community Club
18. Block 106 Bukit Batok Central
19. Teck Whye Garden
20. Pavilion in front of Block 104C, Depot Road
21. James Cook University
22. Haji Lane

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 19, 2015
Amos Yee: I’m Now A Martyr Like Ghandi, Mandela And Jesus

After weeks of silence, Amos Yee re-emerged on Facebook with a series of seemingly unbelievable posts. At a time when he is supposed to still be in prison, he managed to make four FB posts since yesterday just to “fuck with the Government”. He told supporters that he went to jail for the sins of all Singaporeans and now pits himself against all of history’s great ‘Martyrs’ such as Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Jesus.

Check out his epic facebook posts below:

“How is it that I am in prison, yet I am still able to post something on Facebook? Well… If you want to fuck with the Government, fuck with them all the way.”

“I am now literally in prison, simply because I insisted on upholding my views. So now, I am able to pit myself against all of history’s great ‘Martyrs’: Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Jesus (not really). Now if anyone has any skepticism towards my intentions or their views towards me, just remember, I went to remand, for your sins.”

“My mother was absolutely shocked that in my entire time in prison, I had never been exposed to sunshine. The closest thing I had to going outdoors was a daily (except for weekends), 1- hour activity called the outdoor ‘yard’ where inmates get to play basketball or sepak takraw. But we’re not doing it outdoors, but in a 5th floor enclosure similar to that of an indoor sports hall. And of course, there is no opening in the ceiling for cellmates to have direct contact with sunlight.”

How did Amos gain internet access to make these facebook posts? Any geniuses have the answer? 🙂

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

June 19, 2015
10 Things To Know About Ramadan

The first day of Ramadan, traditionally a time for prayer and abstinence, started on Wednesday (June 17) evening.

The ninth month of the Hijri (Islamic) calendar involves a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset for nearly 1.6 billion Muslims across the world.

Here are 10 things to know about the holy month.

1. The dates for Ramadan change every year as the calendar is based on the lunar cycle, and it usually falls 11 days earlier than the previous year.

It begins at the first sighting of the new crescent moon.

2. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is meant to cultivate self-discipline and direct one’s heart away from distractions, as well as to cleanse one’s soul by freeing it of impurities.

The meal that Muslims consume at dawn before fasting begins is called sahur. The breaking fast meal is known as iftar.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated after the last break fast of the month. It also marks the start of a new month, Syawal.

A street light-up in Tampines to coincide with the launch of a Hari Raya bazaa nearby. — ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

3. Besides abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims must also refrain from smoking, sexual activities and sinful speech or behaviour while fasting.

4. During Ramadan, praying is emphasised throughout the day (for the full list of times, click here). Special evening prayers, when long portions of the Quran are recited, called terawih, are also conducted.

Filipino Muslim children being taught how to pray properly outside the Pink mosque in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province. — PHOTO: EPA

5. Not all adult Muslims need to fast – the elderly and people who are sick or travelling overseas are exempted, although in the latter cases, they are expected to make up for it.

Women who are pregnant, menstruating or breastfeeding are also excused. Children are not required to fast until they reach puberty.

6. Under the Labour Law in the United Arab Emirates, employees are entitled to work reduced hours during this period without a reduction in their salaries. Workers across the country get two hours cut from their regular work days.

The law does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims.

This rule, however, does not apply in Singapore.

7. The most important day of Ramadan takes place some time during the last 10 days of the month. It usually falls on the 9th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, or 27th days of Ramadan. Muslims believe it was the day when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

It is known as Laylat al-Qadr, or Night of Power.

8. A recent local study conducted by experts from the National University of Singapore found that fasting during the Ramadan period can help improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

For a guide on how Muslims with diabetes can fast safely, click here.

9. Fasts are usually broken by eating dates, which is known for being easy to digest and possessing a high level of sugar. Soups, bread and fruits such as watermelon are also recommended.

Dates for sale at a roadside stall in Karachi, Pakistan ahead of Ramadan. — PHOTO: EPA

Click here for a list of local eateries offering Ramadan specials.

10. The theme for this year’s festivities in Singapore is “Celebrating Ramadan with family”.

Social media is expected to play a significant part in it, with Muis organising a photo contest on Instagram where uploaded photos with the themes of family, care or spirituality and with the hashtag #BlessingsofRamadan stand to win $300 every week.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim marked the start of Ramadan with a Facebook post on Wednesday evening. “May the Holy month strengthen our ties with our families and loved ones, and bring out the best in us,” he wrote.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

June 19, 2015
Why Are Muslims So Happy In Ramadan?

If you have non-Muslim colleagues who are missing their lunch buddies this month, perhaps this will give them a better idea of what’s really going on with Muslims this Ramadan.

Your Muslim classmates and colleagues may look pale, have chapped lips and look adoringly at the clock counting down to 713pm to break their fast, but despite the hunger and thirst, they’re kind of …. peaceful. Happy even! What sorcery is this, you wonder? Here are some reasons why:

1) Rewards are multiplied.

Ramadan is like the Great Singapore Sale of worship. In other months, we are told that our good deeds are rewarded in the ratio 1:10 (yeah, Allah is pretty great) up to 1:700 but for Ramadan, a narration by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) informs us that God says “Fasting is for Me, and I reward it accordingly.” And that means infinitely (and more!) probably because one of the attributes of God is that He is the Most Generous. There is no logic or system in His Accounting WHICH IS GREAT because we are so in need of extra points.

So that’s why we’re still smiling despite looking at you and your Big Mac during lunch time. Coz we’re hopeful of the rewards of remaining patient for that few hours.

2) We see our potential.

In Ramadan, we believe Satan gets locked up. No more bothersome whispers to do evil things! Although Muslims do believe that we all have innate bad characteristics (with or without Satan) that we have to remove, it does help that we get a free pass for a month from him and focus on cleaning our hearts!

This, coupled with the fact that its the GSS of worship, is why you may notice your Muslim friends who drink, stop drinking. Those who can rival a pirate with his swearing and cursing, bite his tongue in this month. And others turn down invitations for movies, parties and other general entertainment.

It’s because we realise what we’re capable of. We spend 11 months of the year trying so hard to be better people and it’s usually a great struggle. Yet in Ramadan, things get easier and we focus more on our spirituality and realise what we’re capable of. And that makes us mighty pleased and hopeful.

3) Great sense of community

Living in a fast-paced city like Singapore and with an increasingly individualistic system of living, it gets difficult to feel a sense of community sometimes. Ramadan reverses that. Makciks all over insist that their children come home to break their fast together, if not everyday, at least once a week.

This sense of community is most beautifully manifested during the special night prayer that’s only done in Ramadan. It is called the Tarawih prayer (tarawih literally comes from the word rest, or refers to the period of rest in between 4 cycles of the prayer). Mosques all over Singapore which are usually only packed for Friday prayers, are generally packed every single night in Ramadan for these prayers and not just men too. Women, children and the elderly all make their way to the mosques to perform this voluntary prayer together. And it’s an amazingly happy sight.

Fasting also teaches and reminds us of those less fortunate. When we’re hungry, we are able to empathise with those who are hungry not out of choice. Since Ramadan is basically our happy hour for extra good deeds, you will see many charity initiatives in this month too. SimplyIslam’s Ramadan Charity Basket has been ongoing for 8 years now and we help to provide financial aid and also food provisions to over 150 needy families. You can click on the link above to find out more, donate and also volunteer during the drive!

4) Salvation from Hell

Do I really need to explain? Ok. So Muslims believe in a Heaven and a Hell. If your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds, to Heaven you go! (With God’s Mercy of course!) If it’s the opposite, …. you know where this is going.

BUT! Ramadan is great because Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: “Fasting serves as a shield from Hellfire.”

And in another narration, “Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.”

ALL his past sins guys, ALL. So of course we’re happy in this month!

5) Ramadan Food

I know I was going for the spirituality angle in this piece but I’ll be a hypocrite if I say we don’t get excited about the special Ramadan food. These are things that even the non-Muslims enjoy too I’m sure!

There’s this milky, nutty, cold and yummy drink that magically appears in Ramadan and it’s called Katira. Katira is to Singaporean Muslims what the Butterbeer is to Harry Potter. (If you don’t get that reference, seriously why have you not read Harry Potter?!)

Katira Goodness

There’s also Dendeng which is basically our awesome, halal version of your Bee Cheng Hiang’s Bakkwa. ‘Nuff said.

Then there’s the simple, understated Bubur Masjid (literally Mosque Porridge) that we actually send our kids to collect at the mosque once they’re done with school because if we go after our office hours, it might run out. Seriously, we take our Bubur Masjid very seriously. Seriously.

So now you know what’s up with your Muslim friends this month. We’ll catch up with you on Hari Raya when we’ll all celebrate over pineapple tarts and fizzy drinks! But till then, please don’t post your lunch on Instagram, thanks.

Source: http://muzlimbuzz.sg

June 19, 2015
SINGSOC Apologise For Chaos, Tickets Not Oversold

The Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) has apologised for the confusion that led to many spectators being locked out of the 28th SEA Games closing ceremony at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

While SINGSOC acknowledged it could have done better in managing the situation, it rejected suggestions that tickets to the closing ceremony were oversold.

In a statement on the SEA Games Facebook page yesterday, SINGSOC said it had invited groups of Team Nila volunteers and voluntary welfare organisations to the event based on the turnout from the opening ceremony on June 5, where about 30 percent of ticket holders did not turn up.

SINGSOC added: “After accounting for these complimentary tickets, we would like to confirm that there were still sufficient seats in the stadium for all those who came for the event (closing ceremony).”

“There are some very clear lessons to be drawn from this experience that did not surface during the opening ceremony, like how to have better informed everyone on arrival timings, and how to better manage the rapid build-up of crowds and the ushering at entry gates,” SINGSOC said. “We acknowledge that we should have done a lot better.”

While it is unclear exactly how many spectators, most of whom had purchased tickets — which cost up to S$40 each — were locked out of the closing ceremony, it is believed to be in the hundreds.

They were prevented from entering the stadium as many of those already inside had waited around the inner concourse area after they failed to locate their seats due to the stadium lights having gone dark for the ceremony.

But safety concerns meant the gates had to be closed to prevent the congestion from worsening if more were allowed in. That led to tempers boiling over, with some shouting at the volunteers for being unable to help the situation.

SINGSOC also said they could have accommodated those at the stadium if there was more time to seat them, but a surge over a short period just before the ceremony started eventually led to the situation.

The organisers also clarified that the last segment of the show, which saw Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten playing his set from a console suspended from the National Stadium’s retractable roof as spectators entered the field below, was pre-planned and co-ordinated with stadium operators, crowd safety and security personnel.

SINGSOC also stressed that the safety limit on the number of people on the pitch was not breached.

Those affected can contact SINGSOC at https://feedback.sportsingapore.gov.sg/new_feedback.aspx or 1800 344 1177 during office hours from 9am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays to process the refunds and follow up with service recovery.

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 19, 2015