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Tag: Singaporeans

  • Thaipusam Incident – My Side Of The Story

    Thaipusam Incident – My Side Of The Story

    Dear everyone,

    For the past three days, there had been various reports, news & articles with regards to the 3 men arrested for the incident that happened at Thaipusam 2015. I am one of the 3 men who were arrested at the incident. This post would be my part of the story, not to justify what I have done, but to let the public know my point of view.

    My cousin brother was one of the kavadi bearers in Thaipusam. The first time we were approached was at the Perumal temple by the temple officials. They ordered the “Urumi group” boys who were playing the “Thavil(indian traditional instrument)” to stop playing the music. We seeked their cooperation and understanding to allow the boys to play the thavil while he was piercing the 108 spikes, this was so that he can be distracted from the pain. My brother was carrying a traditional kavadi which weighed roughly about 100kg, therefore he needed to be distracted from the pain as well as the piercings. However, the temple officials were adamant about not letting the urumi boys play while he was piercing. When we asked why they could not let the boys play, they replied that these were regulations set by the SPF, and that they were merely following SPF’s orders. We then abided to their rules and regulations and asked the Urumi boys to stop the music.

    We then left the Perumal temple, and started the holy procession in a very solemn manner. The urumi group we hired did not play any music as they were sent off by the higher officials and were not allowed to follow my brother’s kavadi. However, as we approached Kitchener Road, the urumi group boys joined us again. They were playing music for us and followed us till Desker Road. At Desker Road, the urumi boys were then pulled aside again, aggressively this time, by the temple officials . My cousin brother who observed the situation went in to mediate as those urumi boys were engaged and paid by us. He questioned those who pulled the boys away on why they were being pulled away, and that these boys were engaged by us. He argued with them asking why weren’t we allowed to play the Urumi & Thavil which are traditional indian instruments. It was emphasized in the media that we were the one playing the instruments at the procession. However, the truth is, we paid and hired a urumi group to play music for my brother’s kavadi. There were about 15 to 20 temple officials and blue uniformed (unable to identify whether they were police or certis cisco in the chaotic situation) men who were involved in the argument. Suddenly, there were a group of guys (about 20-30 guys) who barged in and started manhandling us, trying to push us away from the urumi group. I noticed that my cousin brother was manhandled, being pulled by his tshirt to and fro to a corner, and i also saw his wife was running behind him, trying to pull the husband away from them. A group of men were pushing me and trying to bring me to the ground violently. At the point of time, I noticed my sister-in-law being pushed to the ground, that was when I got agitated and aggravated and I rushed towards my sister in law. From my point of view, the person who pushed my sister in law was wearing a white tshirt. I broke free from the group of men, and I punched him, thats when10 men pinned me down on the road aggressively, suffocating me. They kneed and backheeled me on my face, and said “you dare to punch a police officer”. That was when I realised this group of men were police officers. We were then brought back to the station.

    It was stated in all the reports and media news that “3 men were arrested and they smelled strongly of alcohol”. I would like to clarify this statement because this is not the truth at all. I do not consume alcohol AT ALL. There were tonnes of other people at that chaotic situation, & the alcohol smell could have came from anyone at all. So it was wrong for them to have accused us of being drunk and creating nuisance. How could media like “Channel NewsAsia, Vasantham Tamil News, Straits times etc” publish in their news that I was drunk and creating nuisance. Under what basis or what proof did they release this news? Was the conclusion that we were drunk based on the report giving by the SPF?

    Secondly, how can a policeman (whose identity was later revealed) push a woman down to the ground? Isn’t it a violent act against a woman (under the woman’s charter)?Why is it that in all the media, this action of the police force was not justified? In my point of view, this is not the behaviour of a police officer, but it is more of a rowdy act. My nephew and niece who witnessed the whole incident were traumatised and could not stop crying. In that chaotic situation, it did not hit my mind that it was a police officer who behaved such.

    Also in the statement provided by Minister S ISWARAN in the article “S ISWARAN: PLEASE DON’T OVERREACT ABOUT THE THAIPUSAM INCIDENT posted on 5 Feb 2015 in “The Real Singapore”, “He acknowledged that three people were arrested at the Thaipusam procession on Tuesday for playing drums.” My question to you is Sir, How could you have acknowledge a statement which was not true? We were not drummers or we were not playing the instruments. All instruments were played by the Urumi group we hired.

    Thirdly, the root cause to all this chaos was the playing of traditional indian instruments, such as Urumi and Thavil. Being the organizers of Thaipusam, the Hindu Endowment Board should stand up for the Indians and justify the playing of indian traditional instruments for a holy procession. I voiced out to the officials that if Lion Dance are allowed for chinese events and kompangs are allowed for malay events, why aren’t Indians allowed to play our traditional instruments. I did not mean it as a racial remark, but just as a comparison. But I was labelled a racist, giving racist remarks, which is again a false accusation.

    In summary, this is my point of view. I am not here to justify my actions, but just to create awareness amongst the public who had been giving different stories everyday. It is NOT TRUE that I was drunk during this chaos as mentioned in all the official news reports. In my opinion, I feel Hindu Endowment Board is not deemed fit to represent us, Indians. They do not know what are our needs, and I believe they could have handled the situation better, and giving us proper explanations when we questioned them, and not pushing the blame to the police and the Govt.

    It is heartwarming to see people from the public coming forward to give their opinion and feedback about the whole situation. I believe they are entitled to their freedom of the speech and should not be questioned or interrogated by any of the higher officials

    Thank you for taking the time to read through this post.

    Regards,
    Mohan.

    Note: This post first appeared on Mohan’s Facebook under the moniker of King Chola Hercules.

     

    Source: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alternative-View

  • Did Yaacob Ibrahim Delegation Obtain Increased Quota Of Haj Participants From Singapore?

    Did Yaacob Ibrahim Delegation Obtain Increased Quota Of Haj Participants From Singapore?

    In a Facebook post on Friday evening, Minister for Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said that he had met with Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Minister, Dr Bandar Bin Mohamed Al-Hajjar, on Thursday to discuss arrangements for the upcoming pilgrimage in September.

    Readers who had seen Yaacob’s post, however, were left confused on whether there would any increase in the Hajj quota this year. Although the minister mentioned that both he and Dr Bandar “agreed that the safety, welfare and security of the Hajj pilgrims must be given utmost priority”, he did not mention whether Dr Bandar had ever agreed to any increase in the Hajj quota.

    Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

  • K Shanmugam: Hindus Are Not Discriminated Against In Singapore

    K Shanmugam: Hindus Are Not Discriminated Against In Singapore

    In the wake of an incident on Tuesday (Feb 3) in which three men were arrested during Thaipusam for disorderly behaviour and a skirmish with police, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K Shanmugam has said attacks on police officers are “unacceptable”.

    He also explained why musical instruments cannot be played during Thaipusam, and said Hindus are not discriminated against in Singapore.

    His Facebook post on Friday (Feb 6) is reproduced below:

    There have been many questions on Thaipusam and the playing of musical instruments. Broadly, the questions can be grouped as follows:

    Why can’t musical instruments be played to help kavadi carriers during Thaipusam? Why are Hindus being discriminated? Other groups are allowed to play music – eg lion dances, kompangs. Also we allow many groups, including Filipinos to sing and dance. So why not allow the same during Thaipusam?

    These are fair questions. They arise from a misunderstanding of the rules. The truth is that Hindus are not discriminated against. In fact, they have been given a special privilege not enjoyed by others.

    HINDUS – PRIVILEGED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST?

    Most people don’t realise that in Singapore, all religious foot processions are banned. This ban was imposed in 1964, after riots.

    But Hindus were given an exemption: Hindus have been allowed three religious foot processions: Thaipusam, Panguni Uthiram and Thimithi.

    The Hindu religious foot processions go through major roads. No other religion is given this privilege.

    When other non-Hindu religious groups apply to hold foot processions, they are usually rejected. On rare occasions when it is given, stringent conditions will be imposed including much shorter routes, unlike Thaipusam which lasts the whole day and goes through major roads.

    So the first point to note: only the Hindus are allowed such large religious foot processions.

    LION DANCES/KOMPANGS

    What is the difference between Thaipusam (where music is not allowed during the foot procession) as opposed to kompangs/lion dances (with music being played in a public place)?

    Lion dances, kompangs and other such celebrations are often held during social, community events. These are usually non-religious events. Likewise, at Hindu community events, musical instruments are also used – Nathaswaram, Melas. There are many such community celebrations: both on a national scale and in the local communities across Singapore. They are not religious foot processions. The ban on religious foot processions (as opposed to such communal/social events) is because they carry a particular sensitivity – the risk of incidents is considered to be higher.

    Likewise, singing, dancing at communal get-togethers by Singaporeans, foreigners are not affected by the general ban on religious foot processions.

    While there is a general ban on religious foot processions, sometimes, permission may also be granted for religious events, with some music in a public place. It is unlikely that there would be a foot procession over a long route. And sometimes, at events such as the Kew Ong Yah Festival, there will be public gatherings in the different constituencies, playing of some music, but even then, the police will generally not allow long foot processions.

    What I have set out are the general rules – based on appeals, sometimes exceptions may be made, based on the specific facts. But the basic position is: as a rule, religious foot processions will not be allowed except for the three Hindu festivals.

    So yes – as shown by social media, there are many events in public with music. But they are often not religious events. Sometimes, they are religious events – for which permission would have been obtained, as set out above.

    So the Hindus are actually in a privileged position. There are many other religious groups which have asked to be allowed to hold foot processions. These appeals have generally been rejected.

    I think even as Hindus ask for relaxation of the rules, we should know the true facts. And not misunderstand them.

    With these facts, is there a case for allowing musical instruments to be played during the Thaipusam foot procession, in support of the kavadi carriers?

    This is a matter than can be debated. There were incidents in the past which led to the tightening up. Whether the rules should be relaxed, and whether and under what conditions music should be allowed during the Thaipusam processions, is something HEB has to discuss with the agencies. HEB has relaxed the rules last year within the temple premises.

    ATTACKS ON POLICE

    Beyond the issues relating to Thaipusam, there is another serious issue which should concern all Singaporeans.

    The police officers on the ground were trying to do their job and dealt with three men. One of the men assaulted the police and all three men used vulgarities at the police. The injured police officer had to be treated at the hospital.

    Our police officers protect all of us. It is quite unacceptable for the police to be physically assaulted or ill-treated. We cannot allow them to be demeaned, assaulted. Right-thinking Singaporeans will find this completely unacceptable. If police officers misbehave, they should be disciplined. But gratuitous attacks on the police cannot be allowed and should not be tolerated. We as Singaporeans should come forward and say no to such attacks.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • 5 Food Apps That Singapore Foodies Should Have

    5 Food Apps That Singapore Foodies Should Have

    As Singaporeans, we’re constantly surrounded by, besides Singlish.. food. Be it a new cafe or a delicious bowl of Bak Kut Teh, we’re almost always on the prowl for good and affordable food. But how does one keep up with the ever-changing food trends? Also, with the relatively steep prices at cafes, how’re you supposed to embark on a cafe-hopping journey without burning a hole in your wallet? With the rise of technology that resulted in the creation of awesome food applications that are offering fancier features by the day, satisfy the foodie in you with the latest food trends and discounts at your fingertips. So let’s get chomping.

    Eatigo

    Enjoy higher discount rates by making reservations for off-peak hours Enjoy higher discount rates by making reservations for off-peak hours

    I’m sure many fellow Singaporeans are familiar with Chope, the application that allows you to make a reservation at various eateries across the island. But with Eatigo, not only do you get to make a reservation at your fingertips; you would, through making a reservation, get to enjoy differing discount rates that are pegged to different reservation timings. For instance, you would get to enjoy a 50% discount off certain items off the menu of Cali Cafe if you were to make a reservation, through Eatigo, at 2p.m. But if you were to make a reservation at say 7.pm, you’d only get to enjoy a 20% discount. But despite the differing discount rates, I must say that this beats having no discounts at all. Am I right, my fellow bargain warriors?

    PickatSG

    Feed the foodie in you with food news and trends that are updated regularly Feed the foodie in you with food news and trends that are updated regularly

    There are food coupons carrying a mind boggling range of promotions on PickatSG. All you have to do is to sign up and be prepared to scroll through a list of downloadable food coupons. Simply tap on the coupon of your fancy (in my case, it was the $9.80 ice cream buffet for two at Maple Loft Cafe) to download it to save them in your coupon box. Simply flash the coupon at the eatery to redeem it. Yes, it is that simple and you get to save a bundle!

    Besides offering a variety of discounts, PickatSG also feeds you with additional knowledge in the food scene. The featured lists includes “5 Brunch Gems in the East”, “5 Economical Buffet Places under $20” and “5 Cafes to Visit in Tiong Bahru”. So the next time your friend says “I don’t know what to eat leh”, you know which app to tap on for the place and the discounts.

    Sugar

    With Sugar, you can enjoy now enjoy the pricy Eggs Ben at almost half its priceWith Sugar, you can enjoy now enjoy the pricy Eggs Ben at almost half its price

    What’s in it for you for this seemingly sweet sounding application, you ask? There’re never enough discounts and this relatively new food based application will have you hooked. The list of promotions/discounts shown on your feed are based on the present location but the sweet application also allows you to alter your location in order to see what promotions the cafes in a particular area are offering.

    So how does Sugar work? The original price and the current discounted price of a certain food item will first be shown to all users. Tap on the “skim” button in order to reduce the price of any desired item by $0.20 (but bear in mind that you can only “skim” any item once). Whenever you find the price desirable, tap on the item in order to purchase it. For more details such as the validity of the coupon, you can also tap the item. The best part? You can sort the promotions in accordance to food, drinks and even desserts!

    But since any item can only be purchased once per day, it is fastest fingers first for this application.

    Open Rice

    Discover eateries that are situated near you with Open RiceDiscover eateries that are situated near you with Open Rice

    If you’re constantly having trouble with making food decisions, Open Rice may be a good application to have in your smart phone. Besides providing you with eateries that are situated nearest to you, you can also choose to view these eateries in accordance of their ratings. Handy details of the restaurant or cafe that includes short descriptions, contact numbers, reviews and photos are also included to aid your decision-making.

    But what’s a food application without discounts or promotions, right? Open Rice also offers a variety of discount coupons but due to the limited variety of coupons, I’d say to revert to Sugar or PickatSG instead.

    Halal Trip

    The app even includes an in-flight prayer time calculator to make travelling more convenient for our Muslim friends The app even includes an in-flight prayer time calculator to make travelling more convenient for our Muslim friends …

    Our Muslim friends will definitely find this food app launched in early January useful to own. Besides discovering nearby halal eateries, users can also read reviews and view photos of the dishes that are being offered. Details such as the location of particular restaurants are also available upon tapping the photo.

    Enabled on both Apple and Android interfaces, users can now widen their dining options and share their experiences with fellow Muslims. This app is also available in both Arabic and English, encouraging Muslims across the globe to share their to-go Halal eateries.

    So get your hands on these free phone applications now and start planning your get-togethers. It may seemkiasu at first, but after scoring a plate of Eggs Ben at $8.80 instead of the usual $14.90, you may come to realize that being a smart discount-auntie isn’t that bad after all.

  • 57% Of Lower-Primary Children Not Getting Adequate Sleep

    57% Of Lower-Primary Children Not Getting Adequate Sleep

    About 57 per cent of children from lower Primary lack enough sleep, according to a survey conducted by students from Nanyang Technological University.

    The survey, which was done in collaboration with National University Hospital, also showed that most of these children get 8 hours of sleep on a school night, when they should ideally clock in 9 to 10 hours a day.

    More than 300 respondents – comprising parents with children aged between six and nine years old – were asked about their perceptions of sleep, their children’s sleep hygiene and their own, between November and December last year.

    Of those surveyed,  37 per cent of children were found not to have a regular bedtime, while 35 per cent of them do not have a regular bedtime routine. As a result, they tend to feel sleepy or become overactive during the day. Some also fall asleep when commuting on public transport or while watching TV.

    For these children, most spend their time using digital devices before they sleep. 75 per cent of children watch television, 60 per cent use smartphones, while 30 per cent use computers an hour before bedtime. Such practices increase arousal and negatively affect the quality of a child’s sleep.

    These practices may have been taken on as a result of their own parents’ pre-bedtime behaviour. Most parents said they spend their time watching TV an hour before bedtime, while 4 in 5 admitted to using smartphones for social media.

    Dr Michael Lim, consultant at Department of Pediatrics, National University Hospital said: “If you are sleepy in the daytime, you are not going to be able to function optimally, in terms of using your brain power.”

    He also added that there is evidence to show that the ability to think in a higher order, to make decisions, or to use higher cognition skills can be affected when children are sleep deprived. “You are also not able to retain things as well as you should,” he said.

    Nine in 10 parents also admitted that they do not feel that their child has a sleep problem. Inadequate sleep hygiene is often the result of a lack of parental supervision of bedtime and sleep behaviours. It is also caused by insufficient knowledge about sleep needs and appropriate sleep behaviours.

    Parents should look out for signs of sleep deprivation in their children, such as a lack of concentration, drop in school performance, irritability and frustration at the slightest provocation as well as spontaneously falling asleep when sitting down or watching TV.

    The survey is part of a public information campaign called The Pillow Police.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

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