The Singapore NEWStalkers (all news discussion here! Please USE ME!)

[shouling]

there have been alot of threads here devoted to things on the local news. to keep the forum cleaner, it has been decided to try out having a thread devoted to local events.

if you have a pice of news that you would like to discuss with others, then place it here for all to see.

thank you.

[lattae]

Ladies, and Gentlemen... We have a current affairs thread already :bounce:

I personally think this idea is great, Instead of going through many topics hand having hte "discussion" divided, pooling together in a one stop station would be cool. (besides, it will stay current , and we don't have to keep clearing things out as the news pass out...

anyway, any news to get things going?

I was bumming around straits times interactive, and found this
http://www.straitstimes.com.sg/singapore/story/0,4386,250617,00.html?

Casino projected to plug $1.7b leak overseas
(some exerpts)

SINGAPOREANS spend close to US$1 billion (S$1.7 billion) a year in foreign casinos and having one here will not only plug this leak, but also give the convention industry a boost.

Experts at the two-day conference said that most of the money now ends up in casinos in Genting, on cruise ships and in Batam.


It seems that Singaporeans do spend a whole lot of money on gambling... Since we do, is the "casino on sentosa" idea good?

There's be lots of talk about how it will actually cause "addiction", "social issues" etc etc... but really, are those justified?

Personally, I think the government should stop being the big papa, and let its citizen decide their own path... I think we reserve the right to choose whether to gamble or not... so Give us the casino... (besides it'd earn the nation lots of revenue :laughing:)

what's your take?

(btw, do bring in news of interest to you so that we can discuss :wink2: )

[Squall]

i think the goverment should just build the casino because casino is not a bad thing at all.
a lot of revenue will be make..and the goverment can spend this money on a lot of things..
but chinese do like to gamble a lot and this may create a social problem..
people gambling their money away

[lattae]

i think the goverment should just build the casino because casino is not a bad thing at all.
a lot of revenue will be make..and the goverment can spend this money on a lot of things..
but chinese do like to gamble a lot and this may create a social problem..
people gambling their money away

it is precisely because of that last point that people are against the gov. doing so... problem really is, IS IT VALID?

[dazzlette]

I'm against a casino. It might generate lots of revenue for us but I feel that there are plenty of ways to create jobs and revenue. I read a letter to the Straits Times the other day and I thought the person made a valid point. He said that if the government were just to jump into everything that can generate revenue for us then shouldn't it go into other trades eg prostitution or poppy growing which are very lucrative by the way? Gambling is not exactly something that is very desirable and worth encouraging. Opening a casino is indirectly saying gambling is ok. It is true that a lot of money is leaking overseas because Singaporean's gambling desires cannot be satisfied locally but really is gambling something that we actually want to encourage?

That's just my thoughts on the issue. But I have to admit, a lot of Singaporeans love to gamble. I would say all of life is pretty much a gamble too. But strangely, Singaporeans aren't entrepreunerial enough even though doing business is a gamble too..

[blu3crush]

i am against the idea of having a casino in Singapore though it may generage revenue and create jobs for singaporeans. i don't want to sound offending but many singaporeans like to gamble. even they set up guidelines or sorts. some will just find ways and means to sneak in. and i suppose this will cause youngster that going to casino is the faster way to generate money. this is a wrong set of morals government going to implant. The safety of Sinapore island; it might endangered as we won't know who is going to come and gamble.
there're others factors to consider though. i hope the government won't make any hasty decision.
that's my point of view.

[laruku]

me against the idea of casino in sg also. i can't help but feel that the gov is jumping on any bandwagon that seems to generate money. i mean, if sg wants to attract tourists(which is still basically our 1st and formost aim) we sould continue to promote our shopping and eating paradise, and bring DOWN the prices of goods to a competitive level, UPGRADE the quality of the service sector, give those tourists a excellent impression. focusing on our strong points will bring in much more revenue than trying to compete in others' territory. i mean, leave the gambling dens to las vegas and the don't know what state in china. if those gamblers want to gamble, let them go to these places. are we going to breed hard-core gamblers here in our own land??? there are already mini dens set up under void decks, so is their mindset such that since its already present, why don't we expand on that...

in that case, i guess drug trafficking will be a viable option too. or human trafficking. we could make it a national business! how grand. and even quicker bucks......

[petheads]

Speaking of fund raising in the other thread reminded me SPCA's recent fund raising event:

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is organizing its second annual Fun Run on Sunday 22nd August 2004. This 4.8 km run/walk will take place at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, race & walk start promptly at 7:30a.m. Awards and lucky dip prizes to be given out at approx. 8:30-9:00a.m. Free Ice Mountain water, 100Plus, and Milo available at the start/finish line.

The Men's winner will take home a Tudor Monarch Quartz gents watch courtesy of Rolex (Singapore) Pte Ltd and the Women's grand prize is two Singapore Airlines return tickets to Colombo, Sri Lanka plus a three-night stay at Colours of Angsana Deer Park, Banyan Tree's newest property. For runners-up and the Lucky Draw for all walkers/runners, there will be over $2,500 worth of fabulous prizes including Nokia phones, Sony DVD/CD hampers, and other great prizes.

As you may know, the SPCA relies solely on the generosity of the public for its funding. The Society does not receive any government monies. So the Fun Run 2004 is an important event for us - not just because it will help us raise some much-needed funds, but also lets us create awareness on animal abuse issues and the importance of being kind to animals.

So we hope that all animal lovers and anyone who just wants to have a pleasant run or walk through the beautiful MacRitchie Reservoir Park will take part in the SPCA Fun Run 2004. Or you can just buy a ticket for the free t-shirt -- but sign up soon, for these limited-edition color t-shirts are only available to the first 500 registrants!

Thank you for supporting the animal welfare cause!

Event: SPCA Fun Run 2004
Date: Sunday 22nd August
Time: 7.30am
Location: MacRitchie Reservoir Park
Length of route: 4.8 km
Cost: $25 -- fee includes a free color T-shirt(specially designed) for early registrants

>>>Note: Registrations can be done the day of the event, from 7a.m., but t-shirts will likely be sold out by then. So head down to one of the registration centers listed below...

Registration Centres:

1. SPCA, 31 Mt Vernon Road -
5th July to 21st August, 10am to 4pm daily.

2. BigO Café/Restaurant, #02-04/05 Wheelock Place -
3rd July to 21st August, 11.30am to 10.30pm daily.

3. Lido Cineplex, 5th Level, Shaw House - August 5th to 21st. Thursdays & Fridays, 5pm to 8pm.
Saturdays and Sundays, 2pm to 8pm.

Anyone who would like to raise more money to help the animals can pick up a Fun Run pledge card at SPCA, 31 Mt. Vernon Road from 10am to 4pm daily from Monday 5th July onwards.

If you have any questions, please send an email to:
spca_fundraising@yahoo.com.sg for a prompt reply.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE SPCA:

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the first registered animal welfare charity in Singapore. Although it had existed years before the Japanese Occupation, it stopped operating during the war.

In 1947, an English lady called Lucia Bach revived the SPCA and her home became the Society's first HQ. Her garden housed the many stray animals (including an Orang Utan!) found starving and/or injured on the streets. In the mid 1950s, a Charity Spaying Scheme and a Euthanasia Fund were established.

The SPCA was set up to promote kindness to animals. But today, our work goes beyond just educating people on treating animals kindly. Last year the SPCA took in over 12,000 strays and unwanted pets. This included dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds and even tortoises and chinchillas.

This disturbing number of unwanted pets in Singapore continues to rise, due in part to irresponsible owners who buy animals on impulse at pet shops and pet farms. With over 1,000 animals taken in by the SPCA every month, it is impossible to find homes for all of them. Hence the SPCA has been lobbying for a restriction in the number of pet shops and restrictions in the numbers bred for sale or imported from overseas.

Investigating animal cruelty cases and assisting police with prosecutions is also an important part of SPCA's work. The SPCA also runs a 24-hour emergency rescue service, a sterilisation programme for stray animals,foster and adoption schemes, a free medical clinic and conducts educational talks at schools and other organizations.

Each visit to SPCA pains me to see all the animals there. It clearly shows how cruel Man can be. Please sign up if you are interested. This is one cause that I think is worthy. :wink2:

[ene]

Anyone read this ? I was like :shock: when I read it. Singapore ? Gay party ? Didn't think the day will come when the 2 words will be read in the same line :wink2:

Singapore to host Asia's biggest gay party... and rake in the pink dollar

Singapore will this weekend host what is being promoted as Asia's biggest gay and lesbian festival in an explosion of pink pride that was once forbidden in this conservative city-state.

A record 8,000 revellers are forecast to attend the fourth annual Nation party in what is expected to be a lively boost to Singapore's emerging reputation as one of Asia's premier gay tourism and entertainment hubs.

Stuart Koe, the chief executive of regional gay website Fridae.com, which is organising the event, said the three-day festival beginning Saturday was projected to generate 10 million Singapore dollars (5.8 million US) in tourism revenue.

"We have large numbers of people coming from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and the United States," Koe told AFP, adding the numbers of party-goers had grown from 1,500 in the event's first year here in 2001.

"There's nothing else like this in Asia. It's really the only event on this scale."

The festival will add spice to a growing rivalry with Thailand as to which country can lay claim to the title of Asia's gay tourism capital after a Bangkok-based lobby group was formed last week to win back the pink dollar from the city-state.

However Koe stressed the event, which coincides with Singapore's National Day celebrations on Monday and boasts some of the region's best DJs at its beach and nightclub parties, was not targeted solely at the gay and lesbian community.

"This is an event that welcomes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, heterosexuals. It's an event that does not discriminate against anybody," he said.

"We are trying to create an event that puts prejudices aside and really empowers people to be who they are."

But with homosexual acts still outlawed here and authorities maintaining a ban on gay groups registering as societies, some activists question whether the government is cynically chasing the pink dollar rather than genuinely trying to encourage a more tolerant and open society.

"All they (government leaders) are interested in is the entertainment dollar, not rights and freedoms and liberalisation of the mind," local gay rights activist Alex Au told AFP.

Au's People Like Us group, which represents Singapore's gay and lesbian community, has been trying to become registered as a society since 1996, with its most recent effort failing in March this year.

In its latest rejection, the government said allowing People Like Us to form as a society would be "contrary to the national interest".

It further warned that the society was "likely to be used for unlawful purposes or for purposes prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order".

The dire government predictions reflect a self-confessed double standard from the nation's leaders towards the gay community.

Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said in July last year that gays would be allowed to work in the civil service, while a first-ever help centre catering specifically for gays opened a few months later offering phone counselling services and medical and legal advice.

The city-state has also seen many gay-friendly clubs, karaoke pubs, saunas, restaurants and fashion outlets open in recent years.

Yet Goh insisted last year that homosexual acts would not be decriminalised because of opposition from Singapore's conservative majority Chinese population, as well as the Muslim community.

"The heartlanders are still conservative. You can call it double-standard but sometimes it is double-standard. They are conservative," he said.

"And for the Muslims, it's religion, it's not the law. Islam openly says the religion is against gay practice."

Au said the government's refusal to allow gay societies to be registered, as well as the illegality of homosexual acts, showed "there is no real liberalisation of any substance".

"Nothing has changed. It's become ever more clear that this is a very cosmetic exercise. It's just tarting up its image to earn more dollars."

Fridae's Koe did not want to become involved in a political debate, preferring instead to project the Nation festival as simply a party for everyone.

"It's never meant to be a political issue. It's always been intended as a celebration of a community and that's that," he said.

"Ultimately it's patriotic. It's an event on National Day and it allows people who may have felt marginalised in society previously to now have a space to be themselves."

Nevertheless Koe said Singapore was becoming a more open society in general, not just in regards to homosexuality.

"People can feel that gradually things are getting more relaxed, attitudes are changing and people are becoming more tolerant. The young people are a lot more liberal and open than previous generations."

[laruku]

oh.. this.. my friend was asking me if i wanted to go... would have gotten tickets if not coz its quite expensive... now asking around to see if anyone has discounts.. :shifty:

btw.. disclaimer.. i am NOT lesbian... :shifty: but if you guys/gals have a chance to go.. GO.. coz it will be the most exciting and most fun party you'd EVER attended... confirmed, guaranteed plus chop.. :brows:

[Squall]

SINGAPORE : Singapore's Prime Minister-designate Lee Hsien Loong unveiled his new Cabinet on Tuesday. They will be sworn in on Thursday.

Heading the list after Mr Lee Hsien Loong is Mr Goh Chok Tong, who will be Senior Minister.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew now takes up a new post of Minister Mentor.

The two Deputy Prime Ministers are Dr Tony Tan, who will continue his role as Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence, and Professor S. Jayakumar, who will retain his Law Ministry portfolio.

Prime Minister-designate Lee will retain his post as Finance Minister, while Mr Goh takes over his post as Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Mr Lim Boon Heng stays on as Minister in the Prime Minister's office, and Mr Lim Swee Say also becomes a Minister in the PM's Office - probably in anticipation of his being groomed as the next Labour chief.

The Environment Ministry has been renamed Ministry of The Environment and Water Resources, and Dr Yaacob Ibrahim will head that.

Brigadier-General George Yeo will move over to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, while Mr Lim Hng Kiang takes on the Trade and Industry Ministry.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will be the new Community Development and Sports Minister.

The three Acting Ministers now resume full portfolios in the same ministries they headed before.

They are Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the Education Minister, Mr Khaw Boon Wan as the Health Minister and Dr Ng Eng Hen as the Manpower Minister.

Two women become Ministers of State. Mrs Lim Hwee Hua is Minister of State for Finance and Transport, while Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon is Minister of State for Community Development and Sports.

The rest of the Cabinet is largely unchanged.

Mr Wong Kan Seng remains the Home Affairs Minister, Rear Admiral Teo Chee Hean the Defence Minister, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong the Transport Minister, and Dr Lee Boon Yang the Information, Communications and The Arts Minister. - CNA
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/100062/1/.html

Minister Mentor :glug:
weird name :whistle:

[pamujung]

oh hi :wave: I drop in this thread because I heard the news via e-mail about this famous couple, Andria and Pier (Do I get the name right ?) with their beautiful love. :love: And I just curious, is it true ? In the e-mail , they said that Andria almost die with the liver fail caused from taking overdose drug, try to lose fat. With the devotion from Pier's liver, she survives till now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/amino/Andria.jpg

[ho_yt]

pamujung, yup its true, this news had been here in Singapore for a while, Andria ate a slimming pill called Slim 10, which resulted in some damage in the liver. Her partner, Pier, donated his liver to help her, Andria was so touched and they was married when Andria recovered from the operation.

[Squall]

Sheikh Haikel has been fired from his DJ job at MediaCorp Radio's Perfect 10.

The rapper, who signed a one-year contract with the station in April this year, used to host Perfect 10's Morning Madness show with Daniel Ong. His last day on-air was on Aug 6.

He was fired following a hoo-ha raised by comments he had made on the show last month.

To a listener seeking advice on how to approach a girl he fancied, Haikel said he should ask her if she was wearing panties.

A listener complained about this in a letter to the Straits Times Forum Page.

On Tuesday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said the incident breached the Radio Programme Code. That was also the day he received a letter of termination from MediaCorp Radio.

MDA is still investigating the matter, in which Perfect 10 faces up to a S$50,000 fine.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,266688,00.html?

:glug:

[lattae]

Frankly, I think that's a crude "advice"... not to mention the fact that it has really nothing to do with "approaching" a girl (unless all the boy wants out of the relationship is sex. Yah, liberty to speak your mind, but not to the extent of being crude. I'd say Glenn Ong also goes into "details", but at least he stops where the line of respect for another human is... Asking a girl the colour of her underwear is way too much. Cliched as this may sound... he's on the PUBLIC radio station, reaching out to people of all ages... :oops:

He deserves to be "punished" for the incident.. but a "sack" may not have been necessary. It could really be non-intentional... "Slip of tongue" etc.

[Squall]

it is because of the power of the mass media..
if no one raise that issue in the strait time forum page..
no one would care and he will still be a DJ

[ene]

Ah, the casino talk is back again.

Singapore eyes Vegas-style casino project
Source : Yahoo News, Singapore
Date : 25 Oct 2004

SINGAPORE, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A controversial Singapore proposal for a casino resort may include a Las Vegas-style entertainment complex, complete with water-theme park, theatres and art galleries, the government said on Monday.
Casino operators are lining up to invest ahead of a decision expected around January. Critics, including Christian and Muslim leaders, say the proposal for a resort-style casino would fuel crime and inflict social ills in one of Asia's safest societies.

The casino itself will account for only 30-40 percent of revenue for the whole entertainment complex, Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang told residents at a community event on Sunday. His office confirmed the statement on Monday.

He said the government was in talks with potential developers and may soon call for private-sector tenders but would discuss with them ways to minimise the social ills.

Lim said Singapore was also investigating how countries such as the United States prevent people from gambling beyond their means. "We are studying such rules. So when we get the proposals and we are able to study all these factors, then I think the government will make a decision," he said.

Singapore is collecting public feedback on whether to build a casino to tap the growing affluence of Asian travellers and plug revenues lost to illegal gambling dens and to countries where casinos are legal, such as Cambodia and the Philippines.

Terry Lanni, chief executive of U.S. casino operator MGM Mirage, said last week that Singapore's government could formally begin consideration of operators for a license in December or January, and that MGM would be interested to invest.

He added that MGM might be willing to set up a local unit, which would issue shares on Singapore's stock exchange.

RICH BUSINESS

Singaporeans already spend about $180 million a year in neighbouring Malaysia's casinos, operated by Genting Bhd, which bar Muslims. About $140 million of Singaporean money is spent in Indonesia's Batam island casinos and about $400 million on casino cruises.

The Innovation Group, a U.S. consultancy that compiled the data, said "floating casinos" and illegal gambling in Asia are worth about $4.2 billion alone. Some estimates put the value of Asia's legal gambling industry at about $14 billion.

But critics say Singapore is flirting with a social disaster and public debate simmers over a proposal to restrict local access, possibly by introducing a membership system, in the hope of heading off widespread gambling addiction.

A survey by the Straits Times newspaper last month showed public opinion in Singapore evenly split over the idea, with 53 percent of the country behind it and 46 percent disapproving.

Advocates say casinos would also accelerate efforts to remould Singapore's $95 billion economy into a services hub as China's rapid economic growth erodes the city's traditional manufacturing base and fast-growing cities such as Bangkok vie for tourist dollars.

Las Vegas Sands Inc., which opened a lavish Vegas-style new casino in Macau in May, has said it would pump in as much as US$2 billion to operate a Singapore casino.

Hong Kong billionaire Stanley Ho's gambling empire has also shown interest in a Singapore casino project, along with Harrah's Entertainment Inc., the No. 2 U.S. casino company, and Vienna-based Casinos Austria International Ltd.

[HaNaBi]

Well, there's always pros and cons to everything, and I think it's up to the Citizens and the government to work hand-in-hand to keep the cons down...
Though I have a feeling that the government is trying to build a casino empire similar to Las Vegas, which people go there not just for gambling but to relax and enjoy life... I think that is the aim of the government in building a casino...

[ene]

Personally, it'd be great to have a casino. No, I don't gamble. Think of all the revenue propping up the economy. People who want to gamble will always find a way to gamble. Might as well make it legal to gamble and keep the money within Singapore instead of it "out-flowing" into neighbouring countries in the form of cruise ship casinos, etc.

[friends_pt]

Well, having casino in singapore there are advantages n disadvantages.. advantages that it will boost the tourism rate in singapore but it will cos singaporeans to be too addicted to gambling since it's allowed in singapore n might end up with the ppl gambling n not working since it's more convenient for them to go to which is like in singapore itself... not having casino will allow the ppl to not gamble... if they want to gamble they have to go to other countries which have casino but it's kinda troublesome so it will in a way stop the ppl frm goin to those places which have casino so oftenly...

[tangwk1990]

Oh! It has been a long time since this thread was last replied!

Ok, so I believe everyone knew about the Tampines tragedy by now. It is really sad for this family. :cry: I mean, why do they want to end their lives together? I've taken two news articles from The Straits Times:

March 8, 2005
FAMILY OF FOUR FOUND DEAD
'His children were so beautiful. Why did this have to happen?' -- MR TAN, owner of a provision store
Neighbours shocked; kids, 11 and four years old, described as adorable and parents loving
By Tanya Fong and Tracy Sua

LOVING couple. Doting parents. Adorable children.

Those were the phrases a neighbourhood in shock used to describe the Lee family, whose four members were found dead yesterday.

Mr Simon Lee Kok Hwa, 40, was found at the foot of his block at 8.20am yesterday morning. When police entered his flat on the 12th floor five hours later, his wife, Madam Wee Chye Lian, 39, and two children - Jonathan, 11, and Sheena, four - were also found dead inside.

The news was too much to take for many of the neighbours who knew the family, which had lived in their midst for the last seven years.

Even the owner of a provision store at the ground floor of the block, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, 60, could not stomach the tragedy.

Bursting into tears, Mr Tan wailed when told what had happened: 'He would buy whatever his children wanted. His children were so beautiful.

'Why did this have to happen? I am so sad.'

The shopkeeper saw Mr Lee and his family several times each week.

'They were hardly alone. Whenever I saw them, they were in a group. They were always so happy,' said Mr Tan.

He said Mr Lee stopped by his shop frequently to pick up sweets and ice-cream for his children.

Two floors down from the Lees' flat, tears were also being shed at the flat of Madam Ani Aboh.

Madam Ani's sister-in-law, Rose Anwar, 35, got the shock of her life when she saw Mr Lee falling from his living room window.

She said: 'I was shaking when I saw it, and quickly called my sister-in-law to go downstairs with me.'

At first, they thought only one person was involved.

When it became clear that the whole family was gone, Madam Ani also burst out crying.

The 37-year-old housewife said that she was very fond of Mr Lee's two children.

She last saw Mr Lee two weeks ago, when he stopped by to give her some old slippers and some shoes which his children had outgrown.

She said: 'The couple looked very happy. i just can't believe it.'

The neighbours described the family as close-knit and friendly.

They often dressed simply, and Madam Wee normally wore little or no make-up.

Both children, all agreed, were 'adorable' and courteous, greeting everyone they saw with shouts of 'aunty' and 'uncle'.

By all accounts, they were doted on.

Madam Jenny Ng, Sheena's nanny, remembered that pictures of the little girl were plastered all over the walls of the Lees' flat, and that she had a room just for her toys.

Madam Cindy Seah's flat on the 11th floor was a favourite stop for Jonathan, a Primary 6 pupil at Yumin Primary School, and Sheena.

The big attraction there was Madam Seah's Shetland sheepdog.

The children always played with the dog whenever they passed her flat.

Said the 45-year-old: 'I cannot believe that they are gone and I feel so bad for the children... they were innocent.'

Why?

That was the question everyone who knew the family asked yesterday.

Some said they knew the Lees operated on a tight budget, but added that they were always generous, and that the talk of financial woes just did not square with what they saw.

In fact, said Madam Ng, Sheena's mother gave her $450 just last Friday as advance payment for the girl's next term in playschool.

Said Madam Ng: 'Her parents came to pick her up, and invited me for dinner. They also said they were going to the supermarket to pick up groceries. Everything seemed fine.'

She added, sighing: 'I've looked after Sheena since she was two months old. She's like a daughter to me.

'If Simon really had money problems, he could have called for help. It's not unsolvable.

'Why did he have to end things this way?'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 8, 2005
Dead: Man at foot of block
Dead: Wife, 2 kids in flat
By Tanya Fong

FIVE hours after an unidentified man was found dead at the bottom of a Tampines block yesterday morning, police uncovered a more horrific tragedy.

On the 12th floor, his wife and two young children lay dead too, side by side in the master bedroom of their five-room flat in Block 470, Tampines Street 44.

The dead man was Mr Simon Lee Kok Hwa, 40, a ComfortDelGro complaints investigation officer who had been asking friends and neighbours to lend him money.

His wife, clerk Wee Chye Lian, 39, and their children, Jonathan, 11, and Sheena, four, were found on a bed, with Madam Wee on one side and the two children next to her, their toys near them.

Sheena, partly covered by a blanket, was hugging a purple toy dinosaur. They were all dressed to go out and had their shoes on.

Mr Lee wore a beige shirt, red tie and grey trousers. His wife wore a floral blouse and grey trousers, Jonathan was in a red shirt and grey trousers, and his sister wore a white dress.

The mother had bruises on her neck, but the children had no visible marks on their bodies.


A GRIM TASK: Police prepare to remove Mr Lee's body. -- ONG CHIN KAI
Last night, police had not established what happened and were not ready to classify the deaths as anything other than unnatural.

Mr Lee's body was discovered at 8.20am. Since he had no identification, a painstaking operation to find out who he was began.

Police spokesman Victor Keong said: 'We had vague leads to his identity, and had to go through the town council to find who they were.

'We called him and his wife, but there was no answer. We also checked with the boy's school... and he was not there.'

Police then called in a locksmith to open the gate and door to the family's flat at about 1pm.

In addition to the bodies, several handwritten notes in English were found in the flat.

The Straits Times understands that they hinted at financial problems faced by the family. No signs of a struggle were found, nor was there a smell of gas.

Some of Mr Lee's colleagues and neighbours knew he had money problems.

A Comfort taxi-driver, who wanted to be known only as Mr Low, 39, said: 'Last Thursday, Simon sent me an SMS. He said he was in trouble. I called him back and asked him why, and he said he owed the banks money, and asked if he could borrow $2,000.'

But Mr Low said he did not have the money.

Mr Lee's neighbour Cindy Seah, 45, had a similar encounter.

'Last Thursday morning, he said he was in deep trouble. He said he 'played shares' and owed a loan company a lot of money and that the interest was due, but he had no money to pay it.'

Madam Seah, who lives just below the Lees' flat, said he tried to borrow $3,500 from her.

She refused as she did not know him well enough, and added that her husband was away at the time.

She did offer him some advice, however. 'I asked him to tell his wife about it, but he said he could not as she would divorce him.'

She then tried to persuade him to turn to his relatives, but she said he told her his parents were old and not working.

Like others in the block, Madam Seah was shocked to learn of what happened.

Neighbours spoke of how loving the couple were, and how Mr Lee loved his children a lot. They said they had never heard the couple quarrel.

For Sheena's nanny, Madam Jenny Ng, anger soon replaced the initial shock at the news.

She said: 'I can't believe it. They were so happy. There was no sign of any trouble.

'They were the perfect family. Sheena was such a lovable and smart girl. Why? Why did this happen? Why?'

Additional reporting by TRACY SUA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I really wonder, why do they want to end their lives like that? It's really stupid for them. And a very sad story. I mean, why do they want to avoid problems and commit suicide like that? Don't they have courage? And why do they want to end their lives as a family?

[Ah Yi]

hi tangwk1990, I think the possible answer to this case is that the man took the lives of his family members then he jump to his death.
I think it is very selfish of him if my guess is right. I mean he does not have the right to take away the lives of his wife and children.

If he really have financial problem, he shld talk it over with his family. I think this problem can be solved... why choose this path???? :depresse:

Really feel so sad when I saw the news on TV and newspaper.

[crazygirl48]

It was quite stunning to hear this kind of tragedy story in our modern country....

Sometimes, people just don't know how to handle setbacks and the stress they are undergoing...so they normally choose the fastest way to end it.........is their life..... :cry:

And selfish ones will bring their loved ones along so that they will be together forever!!!!!
sigh.....

Really pity the kids especially...they are too young to understand and sacrifice their lifes like that!

[petricia]

I think this is a case of mismanaged stress and miscommunication.

It is really sad to see something like this happening. I guess it is the way our lifestyles worked that kinda caused this tragedy. We tends to take things too hard. Financial problems could be solved through other means...

I think that it is possible that the man killed his wife first and then the kids. This is just so sad... if only he could and would talk to professionals who were trained to help. :cry:

[liwei_jay]

it was shockin to see the news on that nite..
and saddening when u heard that the whole family has died..
when read the news on the NEW PAPER.. it was more hurt..
i mean how can u kill your whole family juz because u r in debt..??
how can ppl take the life of their own children?? denyin them their life..
sigh...
felt so bad.. why ppl can do such thing cuz of money??
IS there really NO other way out??

was really shocked.. i mean the news reported tat everyone thinks that they're a very loving family..
then how can he bring himself to kill his wife, some1 he love??
and his children?? his own creation... sigh...
he could have always turn to professionals for help... :cry:

[yenny1106]

hmmm think today's newspapers did say that if he had the courage to kill his family members n himself, why didn't he have the courage to live on? really wonder...
so gambling is really vary bad... i really still wonder y the government is still so so ignorant of the social ills that gambling creates. if they say that singaporeans are already gambling in other areas, then they r making matters worse wat! especially when the casino has so many other forms of gambling, n u can really lose huge fortunes there! sigh...

[gCjs84]

Ya. It is really shocking that he actually could bear to kill his wife and children because of his debts. It is sad when we learnt that his children are so young - his daughter was only 4 and his son is 12. The newspaper even reported that his children are both adorable as described by many... :cry: It is shocking to learn about what gambling can really do to you. Another topic of discussion for the casino debate... I believe that all problems can be solved and there is no need for you to end your life...

[kasic_fantasy]

this has been a great issue in my school. my teacher said that this is all because of depression.

i feel very very sad for this family. i do agree that no matter what big issues or problems, it can be solved so long as that person is someone of big faith. this Mr Simon Lee Kok Hwa is a christian...i really dont understand why would he want to commit such a sin :worry:

the worse of the worse is the children. they were still so young...yet they have to go through something like this...this is so disheartening :worry:

secondly, i feel that casino is not a very good choice. just to improve the economic we have to be force into gambling? what logic is that? :?

and here is a very very good life example...more and more such tragedy will happen if we are really going to have casinos. i really hope our government will really use their damn brains to think properly :worry:

[mysadworld]

yes..the guy who fell to his death incident should be giving the government a second thought towards setting up a casino in singapore
basically,there is no need for a casino!
the goverment has been encouraging all of us to be innovatice and creative
but what are they doing now?just copying other countries' ideas in building a casino?
furthurmore,statistics have shown that most of the money earned from building a casino actually comes from the people living that particular country..eg austrailia
so it doesnt mean that by building one,it can boost the country tourist industry

[snowflake]

I think this news came at a sensitive time when the government is trying to decide either to have a casino or not. At this rate, I would guess the probability of a no is higher.

[tangwk1990]

Got some more news articles from The Straits Times today:

March 9, 2005
Tragedy girl Sheena
By Tracy Sua

ONE of Sheena Lee's last projects at nursery school was to make a frame holding photos of her family.

Her teachers remembered the three-year-old telling classmates how close her family was, and how fond she was of her brother.

When Sheena took the finished photo frame home last week, that was the last time her class saw her. She never made it back to school.

All that remains is her empty seat, and her drawings next to it.

She was found dead, lying next to her mother Wee Chye Lian, 39, and brother Jonathan, 11, at about noon on Monday, just hours after her father, Simon Lee Kok Hwa, 40, fell to his death from their Tampines flat.

Yesterday, speculation that Mr Lee was in debt because of a gambling problem was confirmed by his church pastor.

But Sheena's teachers at Hope Community Kindergarten (Tampines) did not suspect anything was amiss. Her school fees of $450 for the second term had been paid in advance last week.

Sheena, who would have turned four on April 27, was described by teachers as curious, conscientious about her work, and sensitive.

Form teacher Emily William, 40, said Sheena had asked after her health when she returned to work after a day of medical leave. 'I was touched and surprised by her concern as not many students her age are mature enough to ask such questions.'

Grief counsellors helped teachers break the news when class assembled at 12.30pm yesterday, and helped the children cope with the loss.

Principal Mrs Leana Tan said: 'We told them their friend Sheena is now in a safe place in heaven.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 9, 2005
FAMILY OF FOUR FOUND DEAD
School pals pen letters of grief

Jonathan remembered as soccer lover, live wire of class who wanted to be a scientist
By Tracy Sua

MANY were in shock. Some cried. News of 11-year-old Jonathan Lee's death hit his classmates at Yumin Primary School hard when they heard it yesterday, at about 7.30am.

School counsellors and the Education Ministry's guidance officers took 1 1/2 hours to coax them through their pain.

They encouraged the 39 boys and girls to express their thoughts and feelings and got some of them to pen their thoughts to ease the pain.

Their letters spoke of Jonathan as a cheerful, easy-going, soft-spoken boy.

Some said they were sorry they had teased him and called him 'pig brain egg' which, when said in Mandarin, sounds like 'Jonathan'.

They said he was a good sport and did not mind the teasing.

One pupil wrote: 'You have left us with the deepest grief inside all of us.

'I did not believe it... just last week you were smiling and laughing around class.'

Another wrote: 'We did not have a chance to bid you farewell - it was too sudden.'

Jonathan was also remembered by many as the live wire of the class.

One pupil wrote: 'You really brought laughter to our class with your jokes and funny songs but now we can't hear them any more.'

Principal Tan Khar Guek said Jonathan was in the badminton club, while pupils said he loved soccer, and played with a group of six close friends. One of them said he had been a good defender.

Mrs Tan said the boy also excelled in his studies and was among the top 20 pupils in his year.

He was well loved by his teachers, she said.

Mrs Tan remembered the pupils recently went through a goal-setting exercise in class, and it was then that teachers learnt of Jonathan's ambition to be a 'scientist to invent useful things for people'.

One pupil who benefited from Jonathan's love of science wrote that the dead boy had always helped him with science homework he found difficult to complete.

He remembered the times during science class when they had fun with the laboratory equipment.

He wrote: 'Every time I saw you, you looked happy.

'I will never forget a friend like you.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 9, 2005
FAMILY OF FOUR FOUND DEAD
He once ran up $100,000 in gambling debts

1995 : Got help from church to pay off $100,000 in gambling debts
2004 : Chalked up $4,000 in debt after trip to Genting casino during family holiday
2005 : Began asking friends and neighbours to lend him money last week
By K.C. Vijayan

TEN years ago, Mr Simon Lee, the man found dead at the foot of a block of flats on Monday, got help from a community church to pay off $100,000 in gambling debts.

It took him three years and many hours of overtime, but he finally cleared the debt.

For about seven years after that, Mr Lee steered clear of trouble. Then, on a family holiday to Genting Highlands in December last year, everything began to fall apart.

The trip triggered a series of events that could have led to Monday's tragedy, in which Mr Lee's wife and two children were found dead in their Tampines flat.

During that holiday, a solo trip to a casino landed Mr Lee in debt again - to the tune of $4,000 - and he had to turn to the church again for help.

Last week, he began asking around for more money.

A cab driver reportedly said that over several months, starting last year, Mr Lim had borrowed $50,000 from him and had promised to pay him back in monthly instalments.

He also tried unsuccessfully to borrow money from several others, including $3,500 from a neighbour, Madam Cindy Seah, 45.

'Last Thursday morning, he said he was in deep trouble. He said he 'played shares' and owed a loan company a lot of money and that the interest was due, but he had no money to pay,' said Madam Seah.

Another cabby, Mr Neo, 42, was approached too. 'He'd called me during Chinese New Year to borrow money. I told him a bit of money is all right but I don't have thousands to lend.'

For the pastor of the church that helped Mr Lee 10 years ago, the tragic events came as a shock. Since his last brush with disaster, Mr Lee and his family had become active members of the church.

Pastor Billy Lee said that although Mr Lee had recently seemed to revert to his old ways, he had met the family on Sunday and nothing seemed amiss. 'I last met the family at another church member's wedding and they looked happy and normal.'

Senior pastor Lawrence Khong said that when Mr Lee approached the church 10 years ago, he was faced with the prospect of his wife divorcing him.

The Faith Community Baptist Church helped him through counselling and support to keep the marriage together while he separated from his wife for three years and worked to clear his debt.

After the money was paid back, said Mr Khong, the family seemed to get back on track. Relations between Mr Lee and his wife, strained during the previous years, began to heal. The couple went to church in Marine Parade regularly and they even had a second child, Sheena, in 2001.

But in December last year, after Mr Lee's trip to the casino in Genting Highlands, he turned to his church again.

Said Mr Khong: 'When he came to us on Jan 31, we asked him why he took so long and he explained that he did not want his wife to know about the loan sharks who were hounding him.

'He said $10,000 would keep the loan sharks away for good. We agreed to help him but said he must at some point tell his wife about his debt.'

He was given $10,000 to pay off the debt and, for a while, things seemed normal. But last Friday, Pastor Lee got wind that Mr Lee was trying to borrow money again.

When the pastor approached Mr Lee, he insisted everything was all right but said he needed $500 to pay phone bills.

According to those who knew him, though, Mr Lee had a much bigger debt to pay and was on another borrowing frenzy.

Tampines GRC MP Ong Kian Min said the deaths came as 'a shock'. When asked what the case meant for the casino debate, Mr Ong said: 'Personally, I'm not convinced about the merits of a casino. If the Government should decide to go ahead, more should be done about the consequences.

'More should be done to curb excessive gambling.'

WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY BENJAMIN HO

A cab driver reportedly said that over several months, starting last year, Mr Lim had borrowed $50,000 from him and had promised to pay him back in monthly instalments.

He also tried unsuccessfully to borrow money from several others, including $3,500 from a neighbour, Madam Cindy Seah, 45.

'Last Thursday morning, he said he was in deep trouble. He said he 'played shares' and owed a loan company a lot of money and that the interest was due, but he had no money to pay,' said Madam Seah.

Another cabby, Mr Neo, 42, was approached too. 'He'd called me during Chinese New Year to borrow money. I told him a bit of money is all right but I don't have thousands to lend.'

For the pastor of the church that helped Mr Lee 10 years ago, the tragic events came as a shock. Since his last brush with disaster, Mr Lee and his family had become active members of the church.

Pastor Billy Lee said that although Mr Lee had recently seemed to revert to his old ways, he had met the family on Sunday and nothing seemed amiss. 'I last met the family at another church member's wedding and they looked happy and normal.'

Senior pastor Lawrence Khong said that when Mr Lee approached the church 10 years ago, he was faced with the prospect of his wife divorcing him.

The Faith Community Baptist Church helped him through counselling and support to keep the marriage together while he separated from his wife for three years and worked to clear his debt.

After the money was paid back, said Mr Khong, the family seemed to get back on track. Relations between Mr Lee and his wife, strained during the previous years, began to heal. The couple went to church in Marine Parade regularly and they even had a second child, Sheena, in 2001.

But in December last year, after Mr Lee's trip to the casino in Genting Highlands, he turned to his church again.

Said Mr Khong: 'When he came to us on Jan 31, we asked him why he took so long and he explained that he did not want his wife to know about the loan sharks who were hounding him.

'He said $10,000 would keep the loan sharks away for good. We agreed to help him but said he must at some point tell his wife about his debt.'

He was given $10,000 to pay off the debt and, for a while, things seemed normal. But last Friday, Pastor Lee got wind that Mr Lee was trying to borrow money again.

When the pastor approached Mr Lee, he insisted everything was all right but said he needed $500 to pay phone bills.

According to those who knew him, though, Mr Lee had a much bigger debt to pay and was on another borrowing frenzy.

Tampines GRC MP Ong Kian Min said the deaths came as 'a shock'. When asked what the case meant for the casino debate, Mr Ong said: 'Personally, I'm not convinced about the merits of a casino. If the Government should decide to go ahead, more should be done about the consequences.

'More should be done to curb excessive gambling.'

WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY BENJAMIN HO

A cab driver reportedly said that over several months, starting last year, Mr Lim had borrowed $50,000 from him and had promised to pay him back in monthly instalments.

He also tried unsuccessfully to borrow money from several others, including $3,500 from a neighbour, Madam Cindy Seah, 45.

'Last Thursday morning, he said he was in deep trouble. He said he 'played shares' and owed a loan company a lot of money and that the interest was due, but he had no money to pay,' said Madam Seah.

Another cabby, Mr Neo, 42, was approached too. 'He'd called me during Chinese New Year to borrow money. I told him a bit of money is all right but I don't have thousands to lend.'

For the pastor of the church that helped Mr Lee 10 years ago, the tragic events came as a shock. Since his last brush with disaster, Mr Lee and his family had become active members of the church.

Pastor Billy Lee said that although Mr Lee had recently seemed to revert to his old ways, he had met the family on Sunday and nothing seemed amiss. 'I last met the family at another church member's wedding and they looked happy and normal.'

Senior pastor Lawrence Khong said that when Mr Lee approached the church 10 years ago, he was faced with the prospect of his wife divorcing him.

The Faith Community Baptist Church helped him through counselling and support to keep the marriage together while he separated from his wife for three years and worked to clear his debt.

After the money was paid back, said Mr Khong, the family seemed to get back on track. Relations between Mr Lee and his wife, strained during the previous years, began to heal. The couple went to church in Marine Parade regularly and they even had a second child, Sheena, in 2001.

But in December last year, after Mr Lee's trip to the casino in Genting Highlands, he turned to his church again.

Said Mr Khong: 'When he came to us on Jan 31, we asked him why he took so long and he explained that he did not want his wife to know about the loan sharks who were hounding him.

'He said $10,000 would keep the loan sharks away for good. We agreed to help him but said he must at some point tell his wife about his debt.'

He was given $10,000 to pay off the debt and, for a while, things seemed normal. But last Friday, Pastor Lee got wind that Mr Lee was trying to borrow money again.

When the pastor approached Mr Lee, he insisted everything was all right but said he needed $500 to pay phone bills.

According to those who knew him, though, Mr Lee had a much bigger debt to pay and was on another borrowing frenzy.

Tampines GRC MP Ong Kian Min said the deaths came as 'a shock'. When asked what the case meant for the casino debate, Mr Ong said: 'Personally, I'm not convinced about the merits of a casino. If the Government should decide to go ahead, more should be done about the consequences.

'More should be done to curb excessive gambling.'

WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY BENJAMIN HO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I think of this family tragedy, I felt more and more sympathetic for them. :cry: The children are still very young. Why must they leave this beautiful world? Why did the father kill them and then kill himself? This is indeed very sad, especially for their friends and relatives. Just because of one problem and the father could not face it, so he killed his family and then committed suicide. What type of person is this? Does he have courage? And why is he so selfish that he killed his whole family as well?

Also, the government should think twice about setting up a casino in Singapore. I really doubt if more of this family tragedy would happen after setting up a casino. Singapore is alright now. Why go for casino? Is it better or worse like that?

[liwei_jay]

thanks for the post, tangwk1990

Also, the government should think twice about setting up a casino in Singapore. I really doubt if more of this family tragedy would happen after setting up a casino. Singapore is alright now. Why go for casino? Is it better or worse like that?

i do agree with you that s'pore shouldn't set up a casino..
without casino also hav this kind of tragedy liao..
really dun dare to imagine how many of this kind of case gonna happen...
juz see the ppl who gambles in genting highland is enough to make u cringe... :cry:
does s'pore wans ur citizen to be like ppl in KL??
loan sharks everywhere?? selling this and tat??

[tangwk1990]

Enough on the Tampines tragedy. It's just so sad.... :cry:

Anyway, the government is now debating on whether to ban smoking at more places. Here's the news article taken from The Straits Times 2 days ago:

March 9, 2005
No-smoking areas to be extended from Oct
The ban includes bus shelters, public pools, open-air stadiums and community clubs
By Sue-Ann Chia

SMOKERS should get ready to stub out - there will be even fewer public places to light up in from Oct 1.

The no-smoking ban will be extended to bus shelters and interchanges, public pools and toilets, community clubs and open-air stadiums, as Singapore intensifies its war against cancer-causing nicotine.

After that, the Government will mount another assault later in the year, at pubs and discos.

But it has not decided whether to have an all-out ban or to let them have smoking rooms.

Yet another target it is eyeing: hawker centres and coffee shops. A decision will be made by year-end.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Environment and Water Resources, announced the widening ban during the debate on his ministry's budget yesterday.

'In the long run, the ministry's intent is to do away with the need for an exhaustive list and move towards allowing smoking only in private premises, wide open spaces and designated areas,' he said.

He was responding to Madam Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC) and Ms Indranee Rajah (Tanjong Pagar GRC) who want to see a clampdown on smoking in all public places.

While he shared their sentiments, Dr Yaacob pledged more consultation before the ban is extended, to ensure that businesses do not suffer.

However, it will not detract the Government from its long-held position that 'smoking is a serious health issue'.

The stub-out campaign began in 1970, when smoking was banned in cinemas, buses and theatres. Taxes on cigarettes were also raised regularly.

Today, only 14 per cent of Singaporeans are smokers, down from 18 per cent in 1992.

Not content with the decline, Dr Yaacob said the Government must 'continue to act decisively against smoking' as it also has a duty to protect the health of non-smokers.

Citing reports, he said second-hand smoke contains at least twice as much nicotine and tar as smoke inhaled by smokers, increasing the risk of lung cancer in passive smokers.

Even worse is the level of second-hand smoke in pubs and clubs - up to 450 per cent higher than in homes with at least one smoker, he said.

Such health hazards have prompted Ireland and the American state of California to ban smoking in pubs and clubs. The British government has proposed to do so by 2008 and more countries will do the same.

In Singapore, 83 per cent of people polled online last month by the National Environment Agency (NEA) want some form of smoking ban at entertainment places.

However, Dr Yaacob said his ministry is mindful of the operators' fear of falling earnings if smokers stay away.

The NEA will also consult hawker centre and coffee shop owners before making a decision.

'These areas are frequently patronised by families, including young children. At times, patrons could find it difficult to avoid second-hand smoke from a nearby table,' he said.

But he conceded that some areas might have good enough ventilation to clear the smoke quickly.

The NEA survey found that more than 90 per cent support some restriction at these outlets, but almost one-third preferred a partial ban with smoking corners.

Business owners interviewed have their own ideas on how the ban should be imposed.

Pub owners prefer a partial ban. Mr Simon Lim, who chairs an industry panel on bars and pubs, said: 'We are looking at setting up better air filtration systems and separate smoking areas.'

Similarly, coffee shop owners feel that if push comes to shove, they want a separate area for smokers. 'That is far better than an outright ban, which could lead to the closure of many small coffee shops,' said Foochow Coffee Restaurants and Bar Merchants Association chairman Hong Poh Hin.

Smokers' emotions range from fury to ambivalence. An angry Eddy Chen, 30, tidbit stall-owner, said: 'If you can't smoke in so many places, you might as well stop selling cigarettes.'

Trader Enrique Tai, 29, is resigned: 'It won't bother me. We must be flexible.' -- Additional reporting by RADHA BASU

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yup, I think the Singapore government is going on the right track, don't you think so? :wink2: I mean, many non-smokers would be happy about the expanding the ban on smoking at more places. We wouldn't have to suffer much all because of these smokers. :happy:

But then, what would the smokers think? Do you think this is a bit harsh on the smokers? :?

[catseyes]

After reading this, even though i am not a smoker, i still think it's laughable that they even consider the banning at coffee shops, hawker centres, pubs and discos. Why? Because it's ironic. If they want to go to such extremes to prevent people from smoking, why bother bringing the cigarettes in? On one hand, the government allows the sale of the cigarettes and then on the other, they want to make as many people to quit smoking by coming out with such extreme rules. So where are the smokers going to smoke? At home? Or hiding in some dark alleys until it look as if smoking is a crime? I personally believe that if someone wants to quit smoking, they will quit on their own, and not through such intervention.

[yenny1106]

ya i think the best is to ban the sale of cigerettes altogether. but singapore being a pragmatic country who thinks of economic benefits, would definitely not do that right? n i also find it dumb to have warnings such as "smoking is bad" etc on cigarette packets. what's the point when you guys r still selling it? maybe it really helps for the patrons to think twice?? don't know.....

[gCjs84]

I do not think that we can ban smoking indefinitely. There will always be a demand and then there will be a supply of cigarettes. Singapore is selling them because without sale of cigarettes within the country, there will be an appearance of black markets for cigarettes which will not benefit the country economically and will bring about more problems. I guess the extension of ban is more of to discourage those non smokers from picking up the habit. I believe that there will always be smokers around and it is quite impossible to ban smoking indefinitely.

[smilepiggy]

Woo! i love the banning of cigarettes in more areas, though that's very selfish, i hate smoke. As in, i hate it when i'm around and there's this thick smoke blasting straight at my face and all. its bad for health! yesyes. but in reality it is truely very difficult to totally curb smoking in public areas.

[eunicezy]

Anyone heard over the news about the Singaporean couple feeding their child with over 100 antihistamine tablets?

Singaporean couple in Australian custody over poisoning of daughters
SYDNEY: A Singaporean couple were Saturday remanded in custody in Australia after allegedly feeding their young daughters more than 100 antihistamine tablets.

Police said 35-year-old Joshua Pek Zun Long and his 36-year-old wife Georgina had been charged on Friday with administering poison with intent to murder.



The couple's children, aged six and seven, remain in a critical condition in hospital.

"The children are in a medically induced coma. They are in a critical condition, and they are currently on life support," said Sydney police.

A Sydney court heard on Saturday that the husband and wife had intended to kill their children and then commit suicide.

Joshua told investigators: "We all take our life together at the same time."

Police found a copy of a will and around 400 antihistamine tablets in their North Sydney house.

The court was also told that the family had fled to Australia eight months ago to avoid legal trouble in Singapore.

Since then, the family has been stockpiling the over-the-counter sleeping medication.

Pharmacists say adults shouldn't take more than one tablet of such medication a day.

But on Friday morning, in their North Sydney unit, the girls were given 120 tablets each, police said.

When one of the girls started to have fits, the parents panicked and rushed them to hospital.

The children's mother appeared in court on Saturday but the father did not attend.

The father had earlier complained to police that he felt unwell and was taken to hospital for treatment, where he was under police guard.

When neighbours of the couple heard that they had tried to kill their young children by poisoning them, they were shocked.

They seemed a quiet and very normal family, the neighbours said.

"It's tragic. Growing up safe is the most important thing," said Rashid Arkin, a neighbour.

"The police came knocking yesterday morning, wanted to ask us questions, like if we had heard some noise, loud arguing and stuff. We haven't heard anything. It's very, very quiet around here," said another neighbour, Maria Lange.

On the future of the two girls, the Department of Community Services said it would decide their future care.

It said: "We need to make sure these two girls are okay. That's our first concern. We'll also be looking at all of the options for them in future. We'll be thinking about their future care, and who might be best placed to care for them in the long term." - CNA
This really freaked me out, first the news about the undergraduate who threw her baby to the rubbish chute, then the Tampines tragedy and now this? It really made me think. I never knew that anyone could have the heart to kill their own child. :cry:

And its so frightening that both the Tampines incident and the Singaporean couple at Sydney, the parents wanted to kill their children and then end their own lifes later.

[tangwk1990]

100 antihistamine tablets?? :glug: What the!!! :crazy: Why does the parents want to do this to their children? Do they even know that they are their very own children and why do they want their kids to die? :cry:

This is too ridiculous. Why must the innocent kids die because of their evil parents. I really pity them. They are just in the early stage of their whole life and they just die like that. I mean, why are the parents so selfish?

[liwei_jay]

omigod...
100??? what the fish??!! :shocked:
what is the parents thinking??? are they MAD??
how can ppl do such thing to their own child..
oh my goodness..
i feel so lucky... and of cuz sad to hear this kind of news...
the news of murdering your family member is distraughting enough liao.,..
now came out wif this...
what is PPL thinking nowadays...
and i think it happens recently too..
an infant baby was thrown into the rubbish shoot?? in toa payoh??
i feel so sad.. that these ppl dunno how to appreciate life...
or god's given gift...

[snowflake]

X-rated comics brought into S'pore for big profits despite raids
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The authorities have conducted about 570 raids against outlets selling pornographic comics in the last two years.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) seized more than 1,400 copies of undesirable publications in these raids.


Of these, eight in ten were X-rated comics.

Despite the strict enforcement, X-rated comics continue to surface.

Channel NewsAsia ran a report on Tuesday that some bookstores here are selling or renting out comics containing sexually explicit content to students.

Comic dealers told Channel NewsAsia that some bookstores were willing to take the risk for a huge profit.

"In terms of profits, say for a book that costs $8, I think they (bookstores) will probably make $4. To them, that is quite a good margin," said Mr Teo, a comic book dealer.

Mr Yeo has been dealing in comics for 10 years.

He would import about 7,000 copies of comics each month.

Of these, about 5 to 10 percent would be detained by the Media Development Authority for its unhealthy content.

"I believe a lot of them comes through the Causeway from Malaysia through the lorries. You are able to get the comics every day, because there are lorries coming in every day," said Mr Teo.

To help stop the trend, MDA says it will be holding regular dialogue sessions with comic dealers and educate them on what is considered an undesirable publication. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd
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A mother brought this matter to the media attention when she found that her daughter is reading it. The daughter wrote in her diary about wanting to be like the female character :dry: . My first reaction was what the heck?! :crazy: Shouldn’t you be talking to your daughter about this. Correct her misconception instead of reporting to the media. Sheesh.. :worry: Anyway, I have been reading manga (very chaste kind) for some time and I think the trend of the X-rated comics started to become all the rage recently. Of course in the past this type of comics is already available :whistle: but not in much large amount. A lot of manga illustrators who used to draw innocent manga turn to drawing stuff like that only in the past few years. :glug:

Anyway, I think the parent should not blame it all on the manga :rasp: but more importantly your communication between you and your daughter. Heck, I have to listen to this news thrice a night as I was using my computer that is in the living room. :-x

I know it is important to let protect teenagers from bad influence but how far are they going to carry it? Then what about the unhealthy stuff online? :glug:

[jing]

I agreed with you actually. :-)
It's so disgusting looking at the pictures of those x-rated comics. :wacko:
Some of my friends actually read those comics. :oops:
But i did not read them. :angel:
The goverment better ban those comics, as to protect the 'innocents' from harm. :cry:
How is my 1st reply anyway? :shy:

[liwei_jay]

thanks snowflake for your post...
i saw this news too yesterday's news...
actually am quite shocked that this only being brought up recently..
cuz as far as i knw.. these comics hav been around quite long..
i quite agree wif ur comment..
actually parents shouldn't go to media when this happen..
should hav educate ur OWN daughter first..
when u knw that she read this kind of comic.. u should hav take the initiative
and see what r the contents.. if it's porno.. then u should hav stop ur daughter from reading..
or discourage her.. if she really feels that she wanna be like tat character in the comic.. then u, as the parents should take responsibility.. and think WHY ur daughter WOULD have this kind of thinking..

i myself reads some of these comics too..
but the content r not all as explicit as ppl think.. mayb some of them.. :hmm: but then so what?? there's much more explicit things that aren't BAN... like porno mags?? they r also bad why AREN'T it BAN??
but they r only drawings...?? how bout those pornos sites in the internet??
whose gonna BAN them?? they r much more WORST!!

really dunno what the GOV is thinkin nowadays..

[ho_yt]

Thanks Snowflake for the post.

Its a shocking news for me, I acturally been to a few comics shop, but I don't see this kind of comics around. I thought that the govenment had controlled this really well, but I was wrong :oops:

I really hate those retailers who sold them just to get some profits without thinking of the consequences that will happen to the teenagers, I hope that more parents can take note of that and talk to their child about this...

[snowflake]

Liwei_jay, Ya, it was actually around for a long time. It is just that recently a lot has been coming into the market. :dry: I did read some of it :whistle: but it is not as bad as they said. In fact most of it have been darken so I think it is ok. But the storyline is crappy. :dry: Anyway sex is a normal thing. I think it is not the drawing but more to the misconception that is the teenagers is getting that is dangerous. :dry:

ho_yt, the goverment can't do everything. I think our govt is doing too much already :oops: . Anyway, when it come to business, most will be trying to make the most out of it :dry: . So parents try their best to impart the kids with the right information and concept.

Jing, you are doing fine. If you are afraid of doing something wrong, go read the .Forum Rules (http://www.jay-chou.net/forums/showthread.php?t=152) . It will help tremendously. :wave:

[tangwk1990]

What the!!! :crazy: I thought those comics are supposed to be banned? Why are they still selling in Singapore?

I'm not into comics at all. Found them quite boring to me. But the government should really find ways to ban all these explict comics. Now, reading comics is a trend among teenagers like us. Those explict comics would influence us badly. And who are we? We are the future leaders of Singapore and the government must do something, seriously.

And those caught selling these comics should be dealt with seriously..... :dry:

[mysadworld]

i was pretty surprised when i heard such comics books are allowed to be sold here in singapore.sorry about me lagging..i am just not interested with comics,especially those romance kind.the story outline can be pretty boring.i think the mother has done the right thing by informing the authorities that such comics do exist in singapore.although our society are getting more liberal,i dont think we should be so open to have such comics around.these comics presence makes toally no difference compared to those X rated vcds being sold openly to all of us.yes.we cant expect our next generation to be so exposed to such explicit contents books.
3 cheers to the mother!=p

[friends_pt]

I think it will still be on sales even if the government do something about it since the comic shop owners just wanna make money. it's just like those VCDs shops selling M18, NC16, R21 movie VCDs to anyone. It so happened that my friend and i went to buy a movie VCD which was M18 (we only realised aft we bought it), the store owner just sell it to us without asking whether we are of eligible age to get it. for the sake of money, these people wont care abt Law.

[gCjs84]

I do believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Like those obscene VCDs, there is no stopping them even with all those raids that the police conducts every now and then. People are willing to do all kind of things for money and it will be kinda hard to stop them.

I think it is time for tougher punishments to deal with these offenders. X rated comics are much more dangerous because there is not really an age limit or guideline to what suitable comics are for people of different ages.

[tangwk1990]

An article yesterday from The Straits Times:

March 16, 2005
Motorists' views on speed limits count Other deciding factors include roads' characteristics, where they are located and who uses them
By Alexis Hooi

MOTORISTS' views are among the factors the authorities consider when setting speed limits on roads here.

Officials from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Traffic Police said criteria used to fix speed limits include the nature of a given road's users, as well as feedback from motorists. The officials were briefing reporters yesterday about the rationale behind the review and changes to speed limits.

Over the past five years, seven roads have had their speed limits changed. By next month, another 40 roads, including Upper Bukit Timah Road, Upper Serangoon Road and Thomson Road, will have their limits upped.

This move came after members of the public slammed a previous clampdown by the authorities on speeding, with complaints that it was impractical to keep within stipulated speed limits in certain areas.

LTA's traffic management manager, Mr Chandrasekar Palanisamy, said there are three main considerations during regular reviews of speed limits here.

- The road's characteristics, such as size, width and sharpness of bends, affect calculation of the safety-stopping distance, which in turn helps determine how fast vehicles should travel.

- Who uses the roads also helps to decide speed limits. Roads with more pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and heavier, slower-moving vehicles call for lower limits.

- The environment the roads are in is also a factor. For example, roads in residential areas cannot take too high a speed allowance, for safety reasons.

Said Mr Chandrasekar, 41: 'You want to make sure every one of these road users has a safe operating environment. That's why the speed limits are set after considering all these people's needs. Not a particular person's needs... it has to benefit the majority.'

Public feedback and accident statistics are also taken into consideration when reviewing speed limits here, said Assistant Superintendent Fan Chian Jen from the Traffic Police, citing South Buona Vista Road, where the speed limit was lowered from 50kmh to 40kmh.

While the initial limit was deemed appropriate, an alarmingly high number of accidents there - 22 in the past two years with more than half due to speeding - prompted residents to suggest a lower speed curb.

Said ASP Fan, 30: 'When it concerns speed limits, we hope motorists can understand that driving around Singapore is never just about themselves.

'We have to consider other road users... Not every road user has a powerful car, we have to cater to every kind of vehicle out there.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When to speed up or slow down?

IF YOU do not see a road sign indicating the speed limit on a thoroughfare, assume it is 50kmh, which is the case for 60 per cent of roads here.

The authorities yesterday explained the rationale for limits on various roads.

Expressways
Speed limit: 80kmh to 90kmh - Limits were raised from 80kmh to 90kmh five years ago, but it is still 80kmh on some portions of these roads which need to be covered with extra caution because of their design. For example, the limit at the stretch of the Ayer Rajah Expressway at Tuas Flyover is still 80kmh because of the climb.

Other roads
Speed limit: 50kmh to 70kmh - Includes major roads with three lanes or more but which have traffic light junctions. They include Lornie and Braddell roads, which have speed limits of 70kmh.

Speed limit: 40kmh - Limits can be set lower than 50kmh because of a road's characteristics. One example is the exceptionally narrow, steep and winding South Buona Vista Road.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, so the LTA is considering whether to increase the speed limits on some roads in Singapore. For the drivers, I think this would be a good news for them. You know, the speed limit on our expressways is 90km/h but I think that would be too slow. I mean, most drivers, I believe, drives at about 100km/h or higher. My aunty even sped along Seletar Expressway at about 110km/h and I still think that it's quite safe.

However, the LTA should think twice whether to increase speed limits on roads in HDB estates. This might be a danger for people living in these estates.

[liwei_jay]

yah...
i agree with u..
maybe the GOV should have increase the speed limit at the highways
and maybe lower or stay put wif the currents speed for housing areas...
cuz usually these r where the accidents always happen.. :hmm:

[smilepiggy]

Hmm, i think sometimes, the lower the speed limit, the more prone drivers are to speed and exceed the speed limit. i know its unsafe, but sometimes, it doesnt make sense to be travelling so slow when say, there's no other cars along the same road.

[tangwk1990]

Got another news from www.channelnewsasia.com

Posted: 24 March 2005 1528 hrs

Hazy conditions due to fire hot spots on Malaysian peninsula and in Sumatra
By Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The PSI or pollutant standards index hit a high of 95 on Thursday, almost in the unhealthy level, and the average reading of 61 was the highest it has been since the beginning of the year.

The moderately hazy conditions are due to fire hot spots in peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra.

Winds are blowing smoke haze from these areas, and some local bush fires are adding to the problem.

Even though air pollution levels are not expected to go into the "unhealthy" range, the National Environment Agency is advising people with heart or respiratory ailments to take it slow, especially outdoors.

Over the next few days the wind conditions are not expected to be strong enough to blow away the smoke particles, and the haze is expected to remain for the next few days.

Hourly updates on the PSI can be found on the National Environment Agency's website. - CNA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now wonder I see hazes from my classroom yesterday!!! I think it should be alright. But then, as the news said, "the National Environment Agency is advising people with heart or respiratory ailments to take it slow, especially outdoors." I agree with that. These people might suffer from bad air conditions.

[hamtaro]

Two days ago, when i was in school, i thought there's fire or what, as it's unusually blur outside. I thought my eyes had problems. That morning, the scale was about 75, as told by my teachers. She said we'll not go to school only if it was 175-200. That seems impossible in Singapore.
The other problem with Haze besides affecting us visually was the smell of the Haze. It's also unhealthy, hope this Haze will not continue.

[smilepiggy]

have you guys heard of the suicide by jumping onto mrt tracks again? its happening again! this time its at bunoe vista! its so freaky! i just hope similar copycat suicides wouldnt happen!

[tangwk1990]

That man who jumped onto the track is really stupid. Just for one shoe and he got killed by the MRT train pulling into the station. And it is just before his wedding!! :cry:

Anybody felt the tremor in the midnight today? I didn't even know about this when I flipped through my Lianhe Zaobao. Anyway, here's the articles about the tremor from www.channelnewsasia.com:

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 29 March 2005 0207 hrs

Tremors felt in many parts of Singapore after Indonesian earthquake

SINGAPORE: Tremors were felt in many parts of Singapore following a powerful earthquake in Indonesia on Tuesday.

The Singapore Meteorological Service confirmed that an earthquake occurred off the coast of northwestern Sumatra, approximately 600 km west/northwest of Singapore and registered 8.7 on the Richter Scale.

The National Environment Agency said except for tremors, there is unlikely any other impact on Singapore.

Police said they received about 1,000 calls from the public about the tremors.

Reports of buildings experiencing tremors were mostly in the northeast, central and eastern parts of Singapore.

They are from areas in Rochor, Toa Payoh, Whampoa, East Coast and Sengkang.

Minor tremors were felt as far as Alexandra and Woodlands areas.

Police advised the public that there is no cause for alarm.

Engineers have inspected 211 affected buildings in Singapore and have confirmed they are safe.

Police said from previous experiences with tremors, disruptions of electric and water supply are "unlikely."

They assured that buildings here adhere to stringent design codes, and are robust enough to withstand tremors caused by distant earthquakes.

However, if cracks do develop from Tuesday's tremors, residents can call the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) hotline at 6275-5555 or the Building and Construction Authority at 1800 221-9001.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force advised the public to follow these procedures should they experience any tremors:

1) Be calm if you are inside a building, take cover under a table, keep away from items made of glass or any hanging object.

2) Do not use the lift, do not use any naked light in case there is a gas leak.

3) If you are out in the open, stay there.

4) After the vibrations have stopped, stay away from any exposed electrical cable, hanging glass objects, report any gas leakage. - CNA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 29 March 2005 1439 hrs

Hundreds of Toa Payoh residents evacuate flats when they felt tremors
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Hundreds of residents at Toa Payoh Lorong 8 were roused from their sleep, and had to run out of their homes after they felt tremors just a few minutes past midnight on Tuesday.

They lived at blocks 229, 230 and 233 which had experienced mild tremors in the past, on December 26 last year.

"I stay on the 25th floor it was 12 plus when I was watching TV, I started to feel the floor shaking. I thought there was a strong wind, but the window was rolling on the groove, and I heard some cracking sound," said Mr Wee Hock Leong, who stays at block 229.

Mr Wee and his family were not the only ones at Toa Payoh Lorong 8 who felt the the building sway at about midnight on Tuesday.

Hundreds of residents of block 229 and the nearby blocks left their homes after they felt the tremors, and most waited about 45 minutes before deciding it was safe to return to their flats.

"I woke the whole family and then we went down 25 floors and then went to my in-laws' place. Everyone was racing down the staircase and going to the carpark," Mr Wee said.

An hour later, several families were still seen milling around on the ground floor, including Ardy Mohd and his family who live on the 14th floor of block 229.

"I was watching TV and I felt our flat shaking then I asked my father whether he felt any shaking. Then he tried to stand and he felt a bit. Our cupboard also moved and the door also moved," Mr Ardy said.

"My door was shaking, my windows, the fan all shaking... like the building was about to collapse," said Ardy's father-in-law, Mr Abdul Rahman Abdul Kadir.

When they returned to their flats, they were glad to receive first hand news reports on Channel NewsAsia which reported the tremors were caused by an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

He says his family and many of their neighbours are no strangers to such tremors.

"It was scary because this is the worst we had felt in the past few years, we felt it four times, it was very bad and we just got out as fast as we could and we just waited downstairs for about an hour until the SCDF came," said Ms Azizah A Rahman, who lives at block 229.

The night got even longer for residents at the next block - block 230 - who were woken a second time after an alarm in the pump room went off.

The SCDF says it is not sure how it was activated.

The residents were also concerned about the structural safety of the blocks, as most of the affected blocks were being upgraded.

Mr Wee said: "This block is about 30 odd years old. I understand it was built somewhere in 1973 to 1975... I hope HDB can check on the structural safety." - CNA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I really wonder why people are so scared about the tremor that they dashed out of their house. I did not feel it at all, not even my parents!! Or is it really that scary as I haven't really experienced tremors like this?

[liwei_jay]

about the mrt freak accident...
i feel sorry for his fiance..
and he's so silly for jumping on to the track juz for a shoe?!!
is it worth it?? *sigh... :shakinghead:
anyway.. what gone is gone...
juz hope that his family and fiance can take it well..

and about the earthquake... :hmm: am quite concerned bout it...
i understand that some part of us can feel it..
but didn't knw that it was so bad that they'll hav to evacuate...
i heard that some part in KL also felt it too.. but not sure if it was serious..
anyway.. reaLLy hope that the HDB should check the structures of these old flats...
it's quite dangerous.. since that the tremor felt is quite strong too..

quoted from the post
"I was watching TV and I felt our flat shaking then I asked my father whether he felt any shaking. Then he tried to stand and he felt a bit. Our cupboard also moved and the door also moved," Mr Ardy said.

[ho_yt]

That quake is really scary :crazy: , it can even be felt on the central part of Singapore. I felt really sorry for those people living in Indonesia :cry: , they are constantly having quakes, I think the government will do sometime about it and I felt really fortunate to be in Singapore, it is much safer here.

Is it really true that the man jumped down the track just because of one shoe. I felt really sorry for his fiance. I wonder how will she think :worry:

[liwei_jay]

posted by ho_yt
Is it really true that the man jumped down the track just because of one shoe. I felt really sorry for his fiance. I wonder how will she think

yup.. that was what the newspaper wrote...
unless the paper's wrong la...:dry:
which i think is fat chance..
really dun understand ppl... :whistle:

[kasic_fantasy]

i felt very sick upon hearing this..cause i was on the train that hit that guy :dry:

from what i know the guy was trying to get his branded shoe back, but then before he knew it the train already went over him. but one lucky thing is he wasnt really on the wheel track else his body would already been cut into half...

That quake is really scary , it can even be felt on the central part of Singapore.

hey i could felt the shake too! :crazy:

[liwei_jay]

originally posted by kasic_fantasy
from what i know the guy was trying to get his branded shoe back, but then before he knew it the train already went over him. but one lucky thing is he wasnt really on the wheel track else his body would already been cut into half...

i thought i read that he was separated into two??
cuz remember a line sayin that " he was halfway up the platform and the other half on the rail"??
sort of like clinging to the platform but can't really get up when the train rammed into him.. and he was dragged for quite a distance...??
:hmm: really dun dare to think wat will i feel if i was in de train..
muz be horrible.. :crazy:

ooh.. saw the news yesterday bout the Pope II's death..
so sorry to hear that... my condolence to all the his followers out there..
he did hav many illness.. mayb it was a relief to him to be able to go to HIS side...

[no_pride]

FROM May 1, film-goers here have to pay more to watch a movie at the cinema.

Shaw Organisation, Eng Wah Organization and Golden Village will increase weekday tickets by 50 cents and weekend prices by S$1.

Currently, tickets cost about S$6 to S$7 on weekdays and S$8 to S$8.50 on weekends. After May 1, prices will range from $6.50 to $9.50.

Prices for senior citizens and students at selected weekday showtimes, which are now discounted, will also see slight increases. Rates vary for the different chains.

The three companies comprise the Cinematograph Film Exhibitors Association (CFEA).

Mr Shaw Vee King, managing director of Shaw Organisation and chairman of the association, said that the price hikes will help cover increased utility
costs for exhibitors.


**********

Oh my! The movie tickets prices are going to be increase again! Manz...It's so crazy and dumb! The movie prices are already so expensive, and yet they want to increase the prices. No wonder less people are willing to go to cinemas nowaways, compared to last time. Hmph...seems like I will have to buy VCDs to watch at home with my family...

[liwei_jay]

oh yeah...
this will definately decrease my frequent of watchin movies in de cinema..
i think the only movie which i'll watch after this will juz be Initial D.. :bleh:
then all would be VCD.. :tongue:
since they like to increase the price so let the ghost go and watch la.. :devil:
really dun understand why they wanna increase the price..
it's a negative thing u knw..
since that ppl now r complaining that less ppl r watching movies...
i think this will surely encourages ppl to buy more VCD or pirated DVD...
i for one is very tempted to do so... :brows:
since it's much more cheaper and more convinient... :wink2:

[Jes123]

Oh really!! They are going to increase price again!!! So Angry!! :crazy:

I love to watch movies in cinema!! I always watch movie only during weekends or on public holiday. The price for weekend is $9.50 is about the same as VCD, then why go to cinema :dry: unless you can't wait for the VCD to be out. I don't think I can wait for the VCD for Jay's movies.

[snowflake]

I heard about from the news. I was pretty upset when I heard the news too. It is so expensive and as a working adult :dry: , I got no time for movie except on weekends and now this happened!! And Jay’s movie coming out too. Irritating.. :-x
But I also heard that some govt body (can’t remember which one) is going to look into this matter and there might be chances of it not going up :-) . Maybe only.. I’m not sure of the details.

[latte777]

It's so ridiculous to keep increasing movie tickets. Maybe the increase in prices will only lead to more piracy. Everything is getting more unaffordable.

[no_pride]

Yeah, exactly! It seems like everything in Singapore is escalating, except for my grades... =P LOLx!
They shouldn't increase the price of movie tickets at all. It's ridiculous! Sadz...less opportunity for me to eat popcorns while watching movies...

[macdawn]

I saw this in The New Paper today:

100,000 Mourn Heroic Teacher
Date: 08/04/05
Source: The New Paper

She didn't stop to think about herself. When she saw a car speeding towards her students, she dashed onto the road and pushed them to safety. In saving them, she paid with her life.

China teacher Yin Xuemei, 52, went into a coma after the car slammed into her. Five days later, she was dead. But in death, she became a hero.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Jintan town, Jiangsu Province, to mourn her loss, reported Kinhua news agency yesterday. Her students carried banners that read "We all loved you" and "We love you forever". Their greatful parents thronged to pay her their last respects. Her heroic act has made headlines across China and the local government has bestowed on her posthumous title of model citizen.

Madam Yin, a second grade (Pri 2) teacher in Chengnan Elementary School, was taking students to a cinema to watch a state education programme on 31 Mar. Just as they were leaveing the school, a black car came speeding towards them.

Madam Yin ran towards the students in the middle of the road with both arms outstretched. She pushed them to the side but didn't have time to save herself. Her body flew a few metres when the car crashed into her. She suffered serious brain injury, internal bleeding and broken legs. She was taken to hospital where she remained in a coma until she died five days later.

When students saw the principal wearing a black armband later that day, sorrow swept through the school. Madam Yin's students wept openly.

A 9-year-old girl said Madam Yin became her surrogate mom after her mother died two years ago. She sobbed,"My teacher and my mother have died. I miss them."

The school set up a special mourning hall for students and other to pay their respects. By 9am yesterday, the road leading to the school was teeming with people. Some had travelled from other provinces. From farmers to trishaw riders and factory workers, thousands were still heading there - to show her they care. The funeral palour was filled with wreaths and banners.

Madam Lee, who was paying her respects at the altar, told Xinhua,"My 9-year-old daughter was in Madam Yin's class. She never showed any favoritism and gave tuition to the children.

The driver is in custody. He apparently said that he was tired and had missed the sign which read "School, please slow down"

Inside the palour, the six students saved by Madam Yin were on their knees, crying loudly, "Teacher Yin, please don't go. Teacher Yin, we will love you forever."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought this piece of news is so touching. Can't find many people like Madam Yin nowadays, who is willing to die to save others. She is a real heroine :cry:

-MacDawn

[no_pride]

Thanks for the article macdawn.

This is really sad. Only one in a million of these people exist, they care for others until they ignore their own safety. This teacher is really heroic... She 'gave away' her life just to save her students. I wonder how many people in Singapore would do that... :(

[petheads]

:? She saved her students from being knocked by a car. There's no cat involved.

But coming back to what MacDawn has said about saving the lives of others, I don't think I would have been able to do that. My reaction has always been "man ban pai" (slow by half a clap?). I'm usually very slow to react to anything that needs immediate action.

There was this time when I was with my friend overseas and we could not understand the way the traffic was going despite studying it for a while. So we decided to just dash across when there were no cars. Unfortunately, the road we were to cross was not a one way street as we had thought and I could see this oncoming cab charging towards my friend who was already in the middle of the road and all I could do was stare. And then managed a strangled shout at my friend. Thank God the cab driver managed to slow down on time and my friend also managed to move away. I was still left standing where I was, totally in shock that I could have lost my friend. I took like 10 mins to slowly calm down and start walking.

[macdawn]

Sorry, it must have been my hand working faster than my brain...:sweat: the line should read "When she saw a car speeding towards her students" not "When she saw a CAT speeding towards her students".... :oops:

-MacDawn

[liwei_jay]

hmmm... this thread is abit quiet nowadays...
with all the new news i thought that this would be one of the busiest site..
who knws i was wrong... :bleh:

hmmmm... :hmm: juz wondering what does ppl think bout the recent jaguar escaped from the zoo...
anyone was around in the zoo when that happen??
:oops: although i knw chances of JC.net members gg to zoo is quite slim...
but hey.. what the harm in trying to ask rite ?? :wink2: so anyone who went and got the chance to see the jaguar at de open?? :bleh:
though my guess is that if u see him/ her(since it's a female) i dun think u would be able to be here also... :hahaha:

oooh.. and another highlights bout the new casino opening in s'pore...
in two places.. which is the sentosa and also at marina bay...
:hmm: from what i knw.. it's more for the tourists...
if s'poreans or PRs wanna go.. will hav to pay deposits... $100?!?!
guess.. the goverment is tryin to discourage us frm gambling in s'pore
but encourages to gambles in other country.. :dry:
i mean.. u see... if u dun let ppl gamble in your casino..
the ppl will still gets to gambles.. juz tat whether it's legal or illegal only..
so why let other ppl earn the money when u can??

[petricia]

well.. actually, i think so too... I mean, setting the high limits would probably just encourge people to go other countries to gamble instead....
i really dunno how this would be very beneficial to our economy... i just hope that it will be...

[snowflake]

I was thinking they should have open one casino first and from the experience see what the ACTUAL problems caused so that they can take precautions for the second ones. But I do hope it will helps Singapore’s economy.

[lurvee-jielun]

seriously.
i really think they should not open a casino lor.
but since they already decided. what can we do.
increase the tourism industry.
yet it seems like it's encouraging people to gamble =\

[ho_yt]

I'm not surprised that the government will build a casino here, but I'm surprised that they decided to build two here...

I can see that the government is trying to do almost everything to attract tourist to come, they even suggested to build a casino which many Singaporeans disagree with it, I'm not sure if this is good or not...

I think the government is really smart, they charge us $100 for visiting the casino and they stopped people from any loan in the casino, but I think that they will still visit it. I disagree with most of you that it will encourage Singaporeans from gambling overseas because many people are already doing so and if the casino is not built, they will still gamble overseas, so I don't this will be a problem...

[xin0829]

I think the government is really smart, they charge us $100 for visiting the casino and they stopped people from any loan in the casino


Yup, that's a smart implement, but those who can't afford can just go to any of the existing ones now, the smaller ones at country clubs etc u know. Though small, but as long as they can gambler, it won't stop them. :dry:

Anyway, i still don't like that idea of having casinos. Yep, the gov is right to say in this way provide more job opportunties, following the trend etc. But if it will increase social problems, i rather don't want any. I mean, the risk that social problems might increase should come in prior to having job opportunties and trend. :?

[smilepiggy]

Hmms, actualy the decision was quite expected i guess? but i'm still not very for the idea of one cos its like, the casino's social harm is more than the economic benefits.

then again, we need something to revive our tourism industry i suppose. and it creates jobs. hopefully not too many new gamblers will convert.

[liwei_jay]

Source from : The Newpaper
Date : Wednesday, 21/04/2005

In S'pore zoo, 3 incidents in 9 days :
Jaguar escapes, serval cat attack tourist.....

CROCS BITES KEEPER
tooth stuck in victims's left leg....

Anyone who has worked with wild animals will tell you that they can be unpreditable. The Singapore Zoo is finding out just how unpredictable after 3 cases in 9 days.
First there was a jaguar that escaped from its enclosure last Sunday
Then there's a serval cat scracthed a Chinese tourist's right foot at the Night Safari on Monday
Now comes another news of attack a week before the two incidents.
A gavial, a type of crocodile , bit a zookeeper, leaving a 2cm tooth embedded in his leg as well as seven puncture holes.

NOT INSIDE POND
Two Sundays ago, zookeeper Jamaluddin Abdul Wahid, 37, was cleaning the gavials' den in the S'pore Zoo when he was suddenly attacked.
Gavials are also known as gharials are fish-eating crocs from India with long, narrow snouts.
Mr Jamaluddin, a zookeeper of 15yrs is now in the hospital. He said " I was cleaning the enclosure in the morning" "Everything appear normal and there were seven crocs there.
"The croc attacked me was resting near the pond inside the enclosure. It was not in the pond". "Suddenly it went after me. It bit me on my left leg and refused to let go."
He said that the enclosure had only gavials and no other crocodile species.
The croc bit through Mr. Jamaluddin's bootinto his left leg below the knee and above the ankle.
He added : "When the croc bit me, all i could think of was to get my left foot out of its mouth. To do that somehow i had to take off my safety boot. Somehow, i managed to get it off and walked quickly away from the crocodile and get out of the den. It was very painful and i could see alot of blood on my left leg.." my colleague helped to bandage my left leg and called for an ambulance"
AN ambulance arrived about 15mins after Mr. Jamaluddin was bitten. He was taken to NUH (National University Hospital).
Dr Chris Furley, director of zoology and veterinary services for the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari confirmed the incident.


The other accident
Serval Cat Attack
On Monday Night, a woman tourist from China was bitten by a serval cat, at the NIght Safari. The incident happened during an animal show which started at 10pm. Dr. Chris Furley said that the serval cat "strayed off the stage" after the zookeepers unsuccessfully to "block" the cat.
He was refering to attempts made by Night Safari staff to stop the cat from jumping off stage.
__________________________________________________ ___________

my first attempt of trying to post news... :wave:
hope i did fine..

anyway.. think that this two news r quite interesting..
there's also another one
about elephants from Seoul having rampage..
they r from circuses if i'm not wrong..
but no time to type in.. maybe later.. :wink2:

Enjoy.......!!!!

[xin0829]

Thanks for the news. Heard it on the radio but not in detail.

Escapism of animals in s'pore zoo is such an uncommon sight, so it was actually quite surprising to learnt that the incidents happened one after another just within two weeks. The reputation of s'pore zoo sure gonna drop by "a few points". *shake head*

But no worries, it's not going to stop me from visiting the zoo. I'm an animal-lover, and i believe that the zookeepers look into ways of preventing such cases to happen again in future. :wink2:

As for the elephants in Seoul, i think that was soooo cute!! Hahaha... there are six of them, it seems like they had gang up to escape together! I can imagine, they must be holding on to one another's tail with their trunk, strolling in a line... lol~ :angel:

[latte777]

In regards about the casino issue:
I think the government doesn't want to lose another opportunity to encourage tourist into Singapore. They have already lost their chance to hold F1 races, which could have brought in a lot of revenue. Guess they regretted not doing F1 races, so the casinos become something to substitute it.

[liwei_jay]

that's kinda true... :hmm:
but i wish that it would be sth different to replace the F1 chance they've lost....
maybe a BIG theme park??
like disney land or sth...
it also can make money... i think it would be much better... :wink2:
i also could go mah.. :laughing:

[snowflake]

Fair grounds for fare hikes?

SBS Transit joins SMRT Corp in applying to raise bus, train fees
Tor Ching Li
chingli@newstoday.com.sg


CHEER if you're a shareholder, but jeer if you're a commuter — transport fares may rise come July 1.
Bus and rail operator SBS Transit — a subsidiary of mainboard-listed ComfortDelGro Corp — has joined transport operator SMRT Corp in applying to the Public Transport Council (PTC) for a fare increase this year.
In a statement released yesterday, SBS Transit executive director Ong Boon Leong said: "We would have liked to have held off a fare application this year again. But, the increasing cost of operations, coupled with the need to replace buses, have made it difficult."
SBS Transit has not applied for a fare hike since 2002, while SMRT Corp has kept its fares unchanged since 2001.
Based on the new fare revision formula introduced earlier this year, the maximum fare hike allowed would be 2.4 per cent — or 2 cents more on an average fare of 80 cents.
Both publicly-listed companies cited rising fuel and wage costs; expanding networks; and Goods and Service Tax (GST) absorption as pressures on their fares.
However, commuters have been seeing red over the fact that both public transport companies have been reporting profits and rising revenues.
SMRT Corp reported a record net profit of $126.9 million in the last financial year. ComfortDelGro — due to release its full-year results next week — recorded a two-thirds rise in net earnings for the nine months ending Sept 30, mainly from overseas contributions.
Nevertheless, SMRT Corp said average fares have been falling from 97 cents at the start of last year to 90.8 cents earlier this year.
OCBC Investment Research analyst Chong Wee Lee said that SMRT's improvement in revenue was mainly due to its non-fare operations, such as the rental of retail space.
He said fare revenue "remained flat" as declining average fares — due to continued GST absorption and an expanding rail network — outstripped a 1.5 per cent rise in ridership.
SBS Transit, which runs the North-East Line, Punggol and Sengkang LRT systems, said its total operating costs for bus and rail operations rose from $510 million in 2002 to $546 million last year despite "numerous efforts" to increase efficiency.
Chairman for the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Mr Ong Kian Min, said: "Profit numbers are just one indicator. The PTC will also take into account the companies' returns on total assets, affordability to consumers and the profits in relation to total operating and capital expenditure."
Both SMRT and SBS Transit have indicated upcoming capital expenditure, such as a $142.7-million upgrade for 18-year old SMRT trains over the next three years, as well as the acquisition of 150 more SBS Transit buses this year.
SBS Transit said its fare adjustment application has reflected the needs of certain segments of the population, such as the old, the poor and needy and families with school-going children.
"Subject to the approval of the PTC, our proposed adjustments may even benefit some of these commuters," said Mr Ong, who declined to elaborate how.
DBS Vickers transport analyst Chris Sanda said the new fare formula meant that any fare hike would be pegged lower than the rate of inflation to help consumers in the long term.
"It's a delicate balance. While commuters may not be happy with the increase, inflation will still be eating into the profits of the company," he said.
So, where does a publicly-listed public transport company draw the line?
Said Mr Ong: "The management must be prudent in taking care of its own employees, and ensuring business viability. The issue of being listed or not is not so important."
Still, Mr Ong felt both transport companies should go further in exploiting non-fare revenue and in exploring the notion of a merger in rail operations — a possibility that industry watchers felt was nowhere on track yet.
While executive director for the Consumer Association of Singapore Seah Seng Choon disapproved of the timing of the fare hike application, stating that the economy was not yet back on its feet, GK Goh economist Song Seng Woon said politics might be a factor this year.
"It's probably better to get the fare hike over and done with earlier, so it will not be an issue later should an election be called," he opined.
The PTC will announce its decision next month, with any approved fare revision taking effect from July.


Sharks :-x , they are going to increase the price of transport fare AGAIN!! :-x It is really expensive enough for adults. I’m like spending a lot of money on my transport fares. Sheesh… Next time I will have to walk more.. :oops:

[piglet]

i hope they won't increase any of the transportation fee..they are encouraging people to take public transport and at the same time..they want to increase the transport fees..i find it unreasonable..maybe it's just me..but as a tertiary student..we are still studying..and paying adult fare at the same time..the transportation fee is sometime too much for us to take..we have to top up at least once a week..and that goes part of our allowance..so sad..and the reason that we are not working..i already felt that the adult fare is too much for us..though the raise may be a few cents..but for people like me who take public transport daily..the overall is still alot.. :bigyuck:

they do ahve ther reasons for raising price..but hopefully they will not raise..haha

[liwei_jay]

shucks..
this juz encourage me more to get a car..
i mean.. if the fares keep increasing..
i might even be tempted to get a car.. :oops:
or worst... bicycle... hahahhaha :laughing:
wit low salary ppl like me.. i think mayb a bicycle only i can afford..

[no_pride]

Eeks! Better don't increase the prices!

The government is already encouraging people to take public transport instead of buying cars (to reduce gases which cause air pollution, greenhouse effects blah blah blah). And now, they're increasing the prices of transportation fares! Duh...yeah, maybe I'll buy a car next time. Hey, if they really increase the prices of the fares, do they think people will bother to take public transport? Or even bother about the purpose of Earth Day?

[spax]

What is going on with our government? My family don't even have a car and soon we have to pay more for our transport fares. What is this? I agree with you guys. Who would want to take public transport if the fare is really expensive?

I don't think it is a right time to increase the fare now. The economy is still not that good, I believe. And this will put people with more pressure, especially the poorer ones with lower salary. Yes, I know that SMRT has been upgrading their stations and etc, etc. But do they provide different forms of public transport for us Singaporeans' convenience or just make money for themselves? Even the adult fare for feeder bus services is 63 cents now, if I'm not wrong. 63 cents for such short distance! Well, I think that's really expensive. I'd rather cycle to MRT stations and take the MRT to work when I grow up.

[liwei_jay]

TEEN WHO TOSSED INFANT FROM WINDOW MAY BE LET OFF
>Originally charged with infanticide
>Charge reduced as baby was stillborn
(From: The Strait Times, HOME)
by: Arthur Poon

The teenage girl who faced life in prison for Infanticide, because she throw her day-old baby from HDB block, may not be jailed.
Instead, Hafshah Ansari,17, could be given no more than three years' probation, as an autopsy report shown that the infant was dead when it was disposed of. Dr Lai S.H. of Health Science Authority certified that the baby was stillborn.
Yesterday, she pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of "concealment of birth by secret disposal of the dead body".
On November 29 last year, the teen felt pain in her abdomen at around noon and visited the toilet. At the time, she was in her Woodlands Ave 6 flat with her father. While on the pot, she felt something drop into the toilet bowl. It was a baby. She retrieve the child and realised the baby was motionless and not making any sound.
She snipped the baby's umbilical cord with a small pair of clippers, stuffed the child into a plastic bag and flung it out of the kitchen window. She also threw the clippers down the rubbish chute.
A few minutes later, she accompanied her father to pick up her mother before going to see a doctor. Her parents who are both in their early 40s, made the medical appointment after she admitted to her dad that she was pregnant, as they suspected earlier that day.
They have confronted her with their suspicious four days earlier. But she denied it and left the house, returning only on Nov29 at about 9am.
In mitigation, her lawyer, Mr R.S. Bajwa said that she was a very young girl. The only girl in her family, she kept the pregnancy to herself because she felt that she had no one to turn to, he added.
Her father is a taxi driver, and mother is a factory worker. She has three brothers, aged six, 13 and 21.
Mr Bajwa said that Hafshah is currently receiving counselling in a private licnic. The teen will be sentenced on June 6. Her lawyer is hopeful she will get between six months and three years' probation.
For concealing birth by disposing of the child, she would be jailed for up to 2 years and fined. If she had been convicted of infanticide she could have been imprisoned for life, or given a jail term of up to 10years and a fine.
She is believed to be the first person to be charged with infanticide to the past three years.
Undergraduate Koh Kailin,23 , whose actions earlier this year were also supposed to have resulted in the death of her premature baby, was charged with the same offence on March 1. She allegedly placed her day-old daughter in a plastic bag and threw her into the common rubbish chute on the 18th floor of a block of flats at Toa Payoh on Feb 27.
The crime is not common. There were two cases last year but none in the two years before that. Only women can be accused of infanticide -- causing the death of a child under a year old. If a man kills an infant, he's deemed to have committed murder..

__________________________________________________ ________________________

juz saw this in the newspaper...
found it very saddening and thought of sharing it...
since we hav so many youngster here.. (like m very old.. :bleh:)
really hope that youngster nowadays would think carefully on things they wanna do...
dun regret it after the consequences and caused a life... :cry:
the child innocent...

[snowflake]

Sometimes people tend to forget about the consequences when doing some thing. and when something unpleasant results due to their actions, they don't know what to do. Sad but it is happending around us..

:rasp: Public Transport Council approves fare increases for trains and buses
SINGAPORE : The Public Transport Council has approved fare increases for trains and buses from July.
Bus and train fares can go up by 10 cents across the board. This is if commuters pay cash.
However, if they use ez-link link cards, fares will increase by one to two cents for buses and one to three cents for trains.
Student fares and prices of student and NS men concession passes will not be increased.
Senior citizens will, however, be affected by this increase.



So the result on fare increase is out. :-x They are increasing it. Sigh.. It might not seem a lot but I still resent the fact that they increase it again despite Singaporeans’ voicing opposition against it. :?
One of reasons given for increasing fare by the Transport Company was that they need to purchase need buses. So they increased OUR fare to get the new buses? Should the money be taken from the profit?

[charmian]

Anyone saw the piece of news no NKF?

no wonder they need so much funds every year. :oops:

credits to : http://www.asiaone.com.sg/st/st_20050712_328079.html

NKF CEO's $600,000 pay revealed in court

A CLOSELY guarded secret of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) was finally made public yesterday: the salary of its chief executive T.T. Durai.

Gasps could be heard in the courtroom when it was revealed that on top of his $25,000 a month salary, he also received 10 to 12 months in yearly bonuses. That makes his annual salary between $550,000 and $600,000, or $1.8 million in total over the past three years.

This fact, and the disclosure that he had flown first class on NKF's funds, emerged on Day 1 of NKF's defamation suit against Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).


The NKF, which is entirely dependent on public funds, offers dialysis treatment to kidney patients. Two out of every three Singaporeans contribute to it.

It is taking issue with a Straits Times article by senior correspondent Susan Long published on April 19 last year, which stated that a gold-plated tap had been installed and later replaced in the private bathroom in Mr Durai's office suite.

The NKF and Mr Durai contend that this was not the case and that the words in the article, 'The NKF: Controversially ahead of its time?', had damaged their reputation by implying that donors' funds were being misused. The hearing yesterday was delayed by the NKF's application for special damages of $3.24 million, which it claimed was what it lost in donations following the publication of the article. Justice Tan Lee Meng threw out the application and ordered the NKF to pay SPH's legal cost for its last-minute move.

At the hearing, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, acting for SPH, noted that the tap in question cost $990, expensive by his standards although Mr Durai did not agree. The lawyer sought to show that the NKF was neither honest nor transparent about the way it uses donors' funds.

He told the court he had to ask the NKF three times, twice through the courts, to have the salary of its CEO made public.

Mr Durai, represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo, was the only witness who took the stand yesterday. Among those in the gallery was NKF patron, Mrs Goh Chok Tong, wife of the Senior Minister, who left midway through the hearing.

Mr Durai argued that he was not required by law to tell the public what he earned, even though he conceded that they paid his salary. Also, he wanted to protect his personal privacy.

Mr Singh asked: 'The man who earns $1,000 a month who donates $50... every month thinking that it is going to save lives, should they not know that that is the kind of money you earn?' Replied Mr Durai: 'I don't see the need for him to know.' He denied Mr Singh's charge that he refused to disclose his salary as he knew he would lose moral authority with donors.

Mr Durai's travel perks also came under scrutiny.

Not only had the NKF maintained consistently - as recently as in the April 19 article - that none of its executives flew first class, it had threatened to sue people who said Mr Durai did so.

At least two people have had to apologise publicly and pay damages and costs for saying they had seen Mr Durai travel first class, as the NKF said this implied he was wasting donors' funds.

Under questioning, he admitted he had flown first class on some airlines. His explanation: The NKF board allowed this as long as he did not bust the Singapore Airlines business-class rate.

Mr Singh countered: 'Isn't it your duty as a trustee of people's monies to make sure that you get best value on a business-class seat instead of deploying this clever tactic... using it for first class on another plane?'

Mr Durai replied: 'This is a decision made by the board. I used the entitlement.' The entitlement, he added, kicked in only in the past two years. Previously, when he flew first class, he had paid the difference out of his own pocket, he maintained.

Mr Singh noted that although he now flew first class, Mr Durai did not correct his chairman Richard Yong's assertion in the April 19 article that 'there is no such thing as first-class travel'.

'The reason you hide the truth is because you know that that is the wrong thing to do, using people's money, and you know that is mismanagement of donations.'

Mr Durai was asked if he should now 'do the right thing' by the two individuals who had paid him damages and costs for saying what he had now admitted in court. He said no, sticking to his claim that at that time, he did not travel first class using NKF funds and when he did so, he paid the difference himself.

[lattae]

This thing is like the talk of the town...

I think the whole problem lies in that we are getting people who are not dedicated to serving the society in these jobs. They view it as any regular business making company and demand a pay check similar to the CEO/management of a profit making company.

what do you guys think?

[fungi]

i'm personally very irked by the comments of a certain respectable person. "whats the fuss?... why are you attacking them when they are helping the sick?.. 600 000 SGD is peanuts when they have a few HUNDRED million in their reserves". no doubt, T.T Durai is one man i would personally like to castrate, but you really cannot clap with one hand, and onus falls on the entire higher management in NKF.

doesn't everything in the aforementioned statements look entirely wrong?! fuss? peanuts? it is the PUBLIC's money, which was donated with TRUST. yes, granted, they are helping the sick and fufilling their basic responsibilities, and maybe i'm one-sided, but, to me, they are banking on their name to add more money to their coffers. for goodness' sake, why do you need a few HUNDRED million dollars in your reserves? why do you need to store up for 30 years??! you are not even half a government.

secondly, look at all the funds that have been popping up. first it was just the kidney fund, then the children, and now, cancer. ok, everything there is altruistic, they sincerely want to help those with these really prevalent illnesses. but hey, you conduct THREE charity shows a SINGLE fund. then later in the year, you are going to conduct another (fill in the blanks) charity shows for the kidney fund, and then the children fund. can't the money collected just be spread out among all the different funds?

and do people not donate all year round through GIRO schemes and such? and still, you continuously keep organizing charity shows with those hosts and their constant pleas about how these sick people really need the money and hey, just look at your bankbook. its not a few million dollars. its a few HUNDRED million dollars. are you waiting for it to hit a few BILLION dollars before you stop this aggressive fund raising?

and the irony! top prize for the lucky draw donor, *gasp!* a condominium! top prize for the lucky draw donor, 250 000SGD! and what are you paying with? the hard earned money of people who sincerely want to help save the sick.

so since 600 000 SGD is PEANUTS madam, why don't you pay Mr Durai's salary? or better still, donate it to me. i've got a dog and 5 fishes to feed.

oh he deserves the peanuts of 600 000 SGD because NKF is a million-dollar charitable organization. so he deserves the money of the sweat and blood of even the poorest singaporean who just wants to do a good deed and help save lives? he deserves it, if he was the CEO of a CORPORATE organization, but since he chose this altruistic career, he should then be prepared to receive modest salaries.

no doubt, we may all have been influenced since SPH published these news and it was a case against SPH. but still, even when one tries to take an objective stand, it is still utterly immoral to be using the money of the public for your own petty indulgences. mind you, this is public donation, NOT coerced public money like income taxes. even the chap who earns far less than 20 000 SGD a year would have made a contribution. the use of the faith, trust and sincerity of these charitable singaporeans should be STRONGLY justified when channelled to other areas besides dialysis, chemotherapy or radiotherapy subsidizing.

whats the fuss? pfffft.

[snowflake]

I think this whole thing is being blow out of proportion. I only hope that people can see that the patients still need your donations to help them through their illness. As I have an uncle who is under going dialysis, I can see how tough it is for him. So can one imagines how is it like to have worried about the cost and at the same time takes care of your health? I hope that the public sees not only the bad publicity about the misuse of money (that it is claimed) but the financial help and a piece of mind that NKF has been giving to the patients for all these years. I think it will be the patients who will suffers from all this.

I am not on any sides except the patients.

[liwei_jay]

i do agree that NKF did did some good to those dialysis patients..
but i juz disagree wif them when they misused the appropriate funds
which we the citizens donate to help the patients..
NOT to support the CEOs luxury living..
when this was out i feel unfair to the patients... and of cuz US who donates!!
to the patients cuz.. they might have more dialysis centres and necessaries which they might be lacked of at the moment.. or even more subsidies with so many funds that we donates...

i do not wish to be unfair to the patients too ..
by not donating..
but with this kinda claims out..
who dares to donate?? and how do we knw if the next one comes up wouldn't be also the same where the organisation took part of the money..

what i think is tat.. of cuz it's ok for you to get abit out of the fund to pay for your employees pay...
but if you're taking out a BIG CHUNK to pay those CEOs.. to enjoy the luxury they're getting... SORRY... call me cruel... but i rather NOT donate..

[charmian]

i'm glad the whole director board stepped down. Clearly, they dont understand that the public donated the cash out of the goodwill and is meant for the patients.

and definitely not for their own pockets, mercedes, first class flights, gold plated tap and 12 months bonuses.

I'm not going to doante anymore. Unless you show me the figures of that NKF is in serious need for fund which, i dont think would happen in the near future. The money they raise is enough. All they had to do is to stop having this kind of CEO and directors and so much charity shows telling us they need fund for them to live. i think they need fund to gold plate their toliet bowls.

hur, bullshit.

[smilepiggy]

Hmms, i guess everyone does agree to some extent that the management ought not spend donors' money on such lavish items and salaries. but i hope this does not affect other charitable organisiations in their collection for funds just because the whole scene of social welfare donations is disrupted. i feel we should continue to donate as and when we can for this nkf saga will open up the need for charity organisations to show transparency in their accounts

[hisashiluv14]

My issue with this thing is that NKF misused donors' funds; misrepresented their true situation; and conned the public into donating to their charity when they're not at all in shortage of money.

Also, as a CEO of a charitable, non-profit organisation, you should not expect to be paid as much as CEOs of profit-driven companies. You're doing charity work; by default, that dictates that profitting from charity is morally and ethically repugnant and wrong. We donate to the NKF to help needy patients, and not to help the stupid CEO install a retarded gold-plated tap in his stupid toilet. And he still had the gall to say that a 900-dollar tap is not a lot. What????

But still, the larger picture is still what NKF is essentially and fundamentally about: charity. There are people out there who need help from the more well-off amongst us. I feel so bad for the patients who'd inadvertantly suffer as a result of the backlash against NKF. I can only hope that the hundreds of millions of dollars in NKF's reserve will now be put to good use.

Also, regarding fungi's post, I totally agree. If Durai's salary is peanuts, then I guess what my parents earn are no more than three freaking grains of sand. People should think before they open their huge traps and shoot their mouths off. Damn stupid, and that's all I can say.

Wealth is wasted on the rich.

[lattae]

:hmm: I just read in the papers yesterday (or was it today) that NKF is registered as a "company"...

Now that's interesting.

[liwei_jay]

company!?!?!
i tot it was an organisation???
hmmm.. :hmm:
it's getting funnier.. :dry:

[lattae]

There's like way too many "mysteries" about NKF man... They should be classified under "X-files". We need Mulder and Scully in here or the entire CSI team in here...


What really bothered me in the whole saga of events is what Mrs Goh said. She's among one of the few public personalities in SG I respect. Now that peanuts comment is way too reckless... I still wanna give her benefit of doubt tho'. Perhaps it's taken out of context.

[whozthat]

hey let's talk about presidential elections! arghhh nathan is sorta confirmed for 2nd term already! the JTC guy failed to get his certificate of eligibility and there needs to be at least 3 candidates for elections to be carried out. oh man! 81 years old nathan is going to be president again! :X sigh he's just a puppet of PAP...

[kasic_fantasy]

its kindda funny though...a young 40 years old nation with a 80+ president. i personally feel that President Nathan should not be the president for the next 3 years. i mean...his health aint that good and his catching up with age...maybe he should give way to someone who is younger and healthier...

[fungi]

80 years old and at peace with himself, everyone and everything, of course they want him. why? yes to this, yes to that, yes to everything, no? he does look like a very agreeable man. besides, when was a conventional president (of any country for that matter) known to do really, anything? they are puppets most of the time, its a well-known fact. even a primary 4 kid can tell me he wants to be a president when he grows up so that he can receive big fat hairy paychecks without doing anything. so it really doesn't matter what age a president is, does it? :dry:

[kasic_fantasy]

alright fine then..if he really gets to be the president again lets just pray that nothing will happened to him halfway through :dry:

[charmian]

i laughed at the JTC man. like wah lao eh, who is more capable of bragging than him. ><

and yay, i like SR nathan! he's so rolly polly nice. hehe.

[sean-eka]

Hey. did anyone see the 'mystery' candidate? Haha. He's looks friendly, though. He's on the front page of 14th August's The new paper on sunday. Haha. But Mr Nathan, he's getting old. Actually, he is. But, he does quite a good job of being the president.

ROCK ON. WHEE. LET's SEE MR NATHAN ROCK. (im being so rude. ><)

[whozthat]

haha but dont you think its a waste of money hiring a president that does nothing? i mean, Nathan is certainly look like a very agreeable man, but he doesnt seem to do much for the country either. if we had a good president [who is less like a puppet], the people's income taxes wouldnt go to waste.

and LOL charmian the JTC guy! hahah he's really freaking funny...

[piglet]

arhg..there will not be any election..but that public holiday for voting still on??hahah..sorry for being out of topic.. :P anyway..i am kinda glad to see President Nathan for the next few NDP..seriously..besides NDP..i seldom see him appearing on tv..dont mention those one min news clip etc..but he's a nice president in my eyes.. :D way to go..and let's sincerely pray for his good health.. :)

[charmian]

No holiday!! ><

but since Mr SR nathan is so nice, can he still gives us the holiday? hehehe.

and oh yea, i'm amaze by why people thinks that they can be singapore president when err, they didnt achieve much in their life.

[kasic_fantasy]

aye the thing is we are only a small nation and we dont have much things to think bout like USA or China etc...their politic stuffs are just like episodes of some lame CSI files :D

seriously theres really not a need for a president for Singapore. our president can just sit at home shake leg and see big money rolling in but aye...which country on Earth dont need someone to represent their own country?...

aye anyway just watched news...Nathan is confirmed to be the next president for the next 6 years. i think the election is called off. sorry no exact source for this as i saw it on the channel 8's 6.30pm news.

[charmian]

kat : thats how we singaporean sees it. but i think, the president do more than just what we see.

he represent our country. plus, the qualities that are asked of him, tells us that singapore wants a president thats of a leading power, a respected man and suitable qualities. (: aiya, Lee kuan yew would give him some work to do, to keep him busy. :P

and yes, Mr SR Nathan is going to be the president for the second run. yay. rolly polly and waving his hands again. haha

[sleepin'tom]

Have u guys watched the news? Another mutilated body of a woman. Oh gosh...That sick twisted sadistic murderer treating a dead body as a piece of garbage. Disgusting. Absolutely digusting. :dry:

[liwei_jay]

yahz..
i have read about the news..
when i first heard it.. i was like o_O
OMG... then..
u knw the day when they found the head n hand and legs..
i was at orchard too.. :sick:
and i even passed the scene (barricaded) w/o knwin what has happened...
:glug:
when i saw news that nite only i knew.. :S

and nowadays i think the dengue fever thing is quite serious also le..
when i saw the news i was like..
oh no.. so many cases liao??
and 8 fatalities le..
wow.. that's bad le..

[Starylosophy]

The body parts murder was gruesome. imagine u were the employers who hire the maid and the murder scene had taken place in your house? i guess the maid had followed the man who also disembered the body of Liu Hong Mei.

[liwei_jay]

BUT...
i mean.. how can a person dismembered a HUMAN..??
well.. when u have to kill a LIVE chicken..
i'm sure u'll feel :glug: too
goodness.. i really dunno how can she do it..
am still wondering too
how de hell does she DRAG the body parts to orchard of all places..
without ppl seeing??? and suspects??
.......
juz dun dare to think if the maid killed is my maid..
or even worst... the killer.. :glug:
gotta ask my sis to think twice bout this maid liao..

[Starylosophy]

It's nt sure if she had murder the victim all by herself. Perhaps she had an accomplice who helped her. My frens and I were discussing that she could even take a bus or the MRT and carrying the head all along and commuters dun even know! :crazy:

But perhaps she knew of someone who has a car which could help her transport the body parts so Orchard and Macritchie.

[liwei_jay]

yah...
that is why i also suspect that she got accomplice..
i would be really :shock: if she took mrt wid the head and ....
really wondering what kind of angerness would have
cuz a person to mutilates another..
:sick:

[no_pride]

and nowadays i think the dengue fever thing is quite serious also le..
when i saw the news i was like..
oh no.. so many cases liao??
and 8 fatalities le..
wow.. that's bad le..

Hm, dengue fever, it's numbers infected is soaring... :shock: That's really scary...
But one thing funny happened just now, someone called my house number (he dialled wrongly), asking if we are selling mosquito repellent or not :D Haha...

[liwei_jay]

hahaha..
insect repellent??
haha.. juz make sure your hse dun keep stagnant water..
and make sure when sleepin there's some mosquito repellent ard la..
hmm.. but i heard they usually attack in day.. o.O
worried bout my 6month old nephew..
and also my niece who is in playschool.. :S

[sleepin'tom]

The mosquitoes attack me at night... After sucking for a night and it still didn't want to lay eggs. So greedy, continue sucking my blood when its tummy was bloated. I moved, it tried to fly away but it can't fly fast. So I accidentally killed it, many times. :worry:

[kasic_fantasy]

aye so this tells us...to be careful! haha i never really dare to wear bermudas or skirts anymore...trying to cover myself as much as possible :ninja:

but to the orchard chop chop case..when i first come to know bout it, i was like wtf? how come people just love to cut up people nowadays? its not just gruesome but it kindda reflects a bit with human nature. and from what i heard, the murderer and the victim is quite good friends but things turned out this way just becoz of an indian guy :worry:

how shallow can life be? *sigh*

[charmian]

you know, the murder case is just tells me something

that murder is so easy and chopping the body up is easy too. so easy such that a maid can do that with a chopper found in the employers house which is, you know used for household usage.

and woah, what inspiration to future murderers. :oops:

[sleepin'tom]

I'm wondering those people who watched "The Maid" are thinking right now.

charmian, I don't think its easy. Chopping body parts with a chopper is hard. Human body is huge. Blood flowing out, I mean a lot of blood u will know if u watched gruesome videos before. Absolutely disgusting. That maid had to go thru all these.

[Starylosophy]

I think the suspect maid used a 18cm cleaver (found at her employer's house). My mum said that perhaps she washed the parts cleanly if not there would be alot of blood oozing from the part where it's chopped ahhh gruesome! :bigyuck:

about the rising dengue cases, its kindda fearful. i heard that when the ades mosquito bites, there isn't any wound? can anyone affirm me this?

[spax]

Arrgh....the murder case sounds scary!!! Not long ago, there was this similar case at Kallang River and now, this murder case happened again!! o_O

And it is really rare for a maid to kill another maid!!

Well, for the rising dengue case, we all must play our part to prevent the disease from spreading. It also sounds scary. I'm really surprised that there are some people who didn't know whether they had been infected with dengue fever!!

[kasic_fantasy]

I'm wondering those people who watched "The Maid" are thinking right now.

charmian, I don't think its easy. Chopping body parts with a chopper is hard. Human body is huge. Blood flowing out, I mean a lot of blood u will know if u watched gruesome videos before. Absolutely disgusting. That maid had to go thru all these.


and not to mention the bones and veins and nerves and blah blah blah. sometimes when i cook at home, i already have problem breaking a small chicken bone...and now human bones? *kat looks at her own arm* gah just how much effort has been contributed to this murder i wonder..:hmm:

[sleepin'tom]

It's hard to dispose a body in tiny Singapore. Actually I don't find it much to my surprise when she did that. But it's still sickening. This news remind me of the controversial curry murder horror. Anyone heard of it?

[Starylosophy]

U meant chopping the body parts into smaller pieces and cook it like curry chicken? yup i heard of tht case! gosh i wonder how could someone be so cruel to do such stuffs?

I remembered a few years ago, someone in Hong Kong chopped up a human body and cooked it as char siew filling and stuffed the filling in char siew baos! one guy who ate it said that it tasted saltier than normal char siew baos... oh gosh :sick:

[charmian]

Aiyo, no fear! charmian's biology knowledge is here!

if a person is dead, the blood stops flowing and you dont get much blood because it clogs up.

so tada, and you know, when someone steals your boyfriend, you'll go bonkers. :shifty:

all it takes to kill and chop someone up, is simply anger.

[Starylosophy]

Oh i didn't know that, haha i'm not a bio student!

i can't even kill a chicken, how would i be able to kill a human being?!

if the maid killed the victim because of relationship stuff, it's so unworthy. how could she do that. i bet she must have alot of courage or maybe she's not in the right state of mind.

[sean-eka]

Hah. But, i think, how could she bring it to macritchie reservoiur?!

Arghh. My Annual cross country site. I'll never cross that path again. I'll warn everyone else i know too!

And, yeah, i think she took a taxi to orchard and macritchie.

The taxi uncle should seriously sell his car off and get a new one, before it gets 'infected'.

LOL.

[sleepin'tom]

And, yeah, i think she took a taxi to orchard and macritchie.

The taxi uncle should seriously sell his car off and get a new one, before it gets 'infected'.

LOL.

Everybody will try to know the taxi number to buy 4D. Typical Singaporeans. :whistle:

She must be really strong, after chopping a huge body and still able to transport the body parts far away from each other.

[liwei_jay]

ok..
wow...
cool.. u even knw whether she could be dead or not.. :oops:
i'm still wondering.. even if she was killed..
unless the killer keeps her body until her blood clog up..
or not right after u died.. i believe your blood still runs ard ur body..
i'm not sure whether she's smart enough to figure out all this theory.. :whistle:

well.. one thing i'm sure..
even a LIVE animal i hav trouble killin..
killin a HUMAN.. :glug: OMG... she muz be darn :wacko:


btw..
i think someone asked bout Aedes mosquitos biting rite??
i think if i'm not wrong ... u'll see red small spots..
reelly tiny weeny little red spots...

[charmian]

andes mosqitoes have white stripes on their 6 long skinny leg which is very distinctive. (:

but aiya, who have time to go inspect every mosqitoe legs. :P

anyway, back to the maid. she is getting a death sentence if the court thinks she's guilty as charged. aiyo, a life for a life. she chop people up, she gets hanged. :crazy:

[sleepin'tom]

Hanging is a gruesome execution. The face turns purple. Tongue protrudes. She needs 3-25 minutes to die. The dead person may urinate or defecate(or both) after death due to their muscles relax after death. :sick:

[kasic_fantasy]

U meant chopping the body parts into smaller pieces and cook it like curry chicken? yup i heard of tht case! gosh i wonder how could someone be so cruel to do such stuffs?

I remembered a few years ago, someone in Hong Kong chopped up a human body and cooked it as char siew filling and stuffed the filling in char siew baos! one guy who ate it said that it tasted saltier than normal char siew baos... oh gosh :sick:


aye ever heard of the most popular sashimi case in japan? the guy actually cut the ex gf up and had sashimi!!! he kept the parts in his own frigde and when the police came, the whole frigde smell like shit and its totally blood covered! the first part the police saw was actually the head with the eyes still on!!! :crazy:

[charmian]

Hanging is a gruesome execution. The face turns purple. Tongue protrudes. She needs 3-25 minutes to die. The dead person may urinate or defecate(or both) after death due to their muscles relax after death. :sick:

OMG. :retard: i'm getting sick. ><

but aye, she deserves it anyhow, no one deserves to be killed by any reasons, any means.

Kat : woah, you people have fun digging up news on chopping cases ah. hehehe! heard of a husband who kill his wife and chop her up and kept them in a suitcase for years?

and all along, his son knew it. :wacko: poor sonny

[sleepin'tom]

aye ever heard of the most popular sashimi case in japan? the guy actually cut the ex gf up and had sashimi!!! he kept the parts in his own frigde and when the police came, the whole frigde smell like shit and its totally blood covered! the first part the police saw was actually the head with the eyes still on!!! :crazy:

I think shit smells better. By the way, his fridge had a smell of stench? His fridge must be out of order then. :rolleyes: I wonder what were the policemen reactions. Did they puke or faint? :oops:

[Starylosophy]

i'm pretty scared of the dengue crisis now.

there are alot of ppl ard my area affected by dengue fever. only abt 500m away from my block, there are ard 5 ppl affected and abt a street away ard 8 are affected. the number of ppl affected are pretty serious.

i hope the condition will ease soon as 1 in 50 cases of dengue are fatal :unsure:

[sleepin'tom]

Another victim of dengue fever. The 39 year-old mother of 3 is the 11th victim of dengue death. That's deadly, oh my dear.. She doesn't deserve this yet she got it.

[snowflake]

Hmm.. Did the newspapers said what is the reason for the murder? I'm really outdated these days..

[sleepin'tom]

Another racist blogger has been convicted according to strait times. I think he will not be the last. Singapore supposedly is a racial hamonious country or is that just a brand name?

[liwei_jay]

everyone..
i saw an article of Jay in lian he wan bao yesterday..
it was dated on 7/11/05..
and my colleague told me that it's the evening paper mean for the next day (8/11)??
:glug:
anyone mind to translate it?? i dunno chinese.. :sweat:
if i'm not wrong.. the article is about Jay not knowing chinese i think..
saying that he went to a show and they ask him 10 questions and he only knew 4.. o.O was suprised..
and there's Jolin n Patty pic i think...

really wanna knw what it says
anyone who knew the story pls revert??
thanks in advance :happy:

[snowflake]

If I didn’t remember wrong it is about just going on to a tv show and they had one of those guessing game.
Liu Ge Hong was gesturing and Jay was trying to guess the phrase. And he got stuck on one of the phrase.
That is all. And then the media made a fuss out of it.

[liwei_jay]

This thread has been asleep quite awhile liao!
it's time to bring it up!! :D
recently there's been so many news on TV and papers..
the BUDGET 2006, sth package, and the one which i wanna talk about..

Teenagers under 17 who will be take in and report to Guardian if found loitering after 11pm..
The reason for this :- to prevent kids from being the victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and also to keep them out of trouble

just wanna knw what you all think and whether is this a +tive action or a -tive one??
since there's so many kids here who are within the range.. :happy: it would be good to hear opiniion from u all.. :D

Feel free to say whatever you want.. regarding the topic..
i'm just curious.. how many of you does stay out late at night ?
what is there to do to stay out so late at night??:hmm:
haha.. sorry if i offended anyone.. just felt curious only..

write on......

[Wendy]

I saw the news too. I think that 11pm is considered a bit early for some people. Although they said that this is not a curfew thingy, they are just informing parents that their kids are still outside. (stuff like that...)

But the point is, don't the parents themselves know that their kids are not home yet? Why do they have to be informed by the police instead? Know what I mean? Because the parents themselves might be too busy to spend time with their kids so they have to find other ways and means to entertain themselves. Like hanging outside and staying out late. Since they have to face a empty house at home.

But I think that singaporean kids are still considered "guai" already. Considering in those "angmoh" countries.... (no offence to anyone out there. :wave: )

Anyway, I am not trying to support either side. I'm no longer a kid. I hope that parents out there will take their own children in hand, cos its nobody's business except for their own.

Did I talk too much? :tongue: hehe.. I just voicing out my little opinion about this thingy.

[phoebe]

hi . today i read from the malaysian newspaper " the star " which has an article that was headlined " invite me to explain ". the content is about that taiwanese independent legislator and part-time media commentor , li ao ,who labelled singaporeans as stupid! now this old man is hoping to be invited to singapore to explain why he made such a statement !!! hahaha. i hope singaporeans will not give this old guy free publicity by inviting him to singapore to talk about anything. this bastard goes around to give his unsolicited comments about others eg. hongkongers are rude etc. this is the same old lecherer that said that jay + patty as a couple is" like a flower planted on a dung-hill!!" the best way to deal with attention seekers like him is to ignore him and never allow him a public stage to show off his tiny self.
p.s. do not blame other taiwanese for this one bastard.

[Wendy]

Yeah... i read the newspaper headlines of this issue. But I didn't even bother to go and read the detailed article. I think is just a waste of my time and effort. Who cares what he said, is just bulls**t. I always skips to the entertainment section everytime I flip open a newspaper. ;-)

[liwei_jay]

Ooh..
So this Li Ao made another of his so called wise comment?? :shifty:
dang... he's so darn vain..
trying to gain attention by making stupid comments and expect ppl to invite him here and further elobrate why he thinks we're stupid??
he must be really stupid or despo.. :whistle:

[ziai]

Yea.. This Li Ao guy is probably just trying to get attention... He wants Singapore to invite him to explain his remark about Singaporeans being stupid? And make Singaporeans even angrier?... Wait long long...

By the way, the article can also be found here (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/international/news/20060411p2g00m0in014000c.html)

Apparently he said that Singapore has produced a few outstanding figures like Lee Kuan Yew and Stephanie Sun, but bcos our ancestors were mostly immigrants from China were poorly educated, we are dumb.. Like.. hello??? How can he compare us with our ancestors?

haha.. A guy said that Li Ao's dumbness comes from his own belief that he's smart.. How true...
You know, Li Ao was also the guy who said that Jay is very ugly with the small eyes... My friend told me that he even commented once that Jay and Patty was like 'a flower stuck on cow dung'... Seriously he is just plain stupid and the only thing he does is crap.

[stitchphil]

Haha.. I've came across the articles recently too... I didn't even bother reading the details of it. I couldn't care less actually. This LiAo fella thinks he's so smart and that everyone's laughing with him, where in fact, everyone is laughing at him because he is the stupid one here.

I think he'll cause a riot if he ever comes here. People might just beat some sense into him. :laughing:

Perhaps our Prime Minister says it best. He once said on TV, "To Li Ao, many people are stupid."

I guess we just have to laugh it off because we know he's just someone who is full of crap bahz. I, for one, don't even want to acknowledge his existence.

[Wendy]

Hey peeps.. I just noticed something very interesting. If we put the Li Ao name together, it reads "Liao", and in hokkien, liao(4) means gone case or finished. Hahaha, maybe he is destined to be a gone case. :bleh:

[stitchphil]

Hey peeps.. I just noticed something very interesting. If we put the Li Ao name together, it reads "Liao", and in hokkien, liao(4) means gone case or finished. Hahaha, maybe he is destined to be a gone case. :bleh:

:lolabove: Haha... Good one there Wendy.

Perhaps what phoebe said was best, let's not entertain clowns like this who're eyeing only for attention. He probably said that to be noticed. It'll probably get on his nerves when he's being ignored. :dry:

[stillcho]

I have finally found the right section! (I HOPE!)
Ok anyway, I found this comment made by THE ST which was quite surprising.

QUOTE: "IJ girls is a generalisation for girls who study in CHIJ schools and who like to hem their school uniforms real short, wear their belts real low on their hips, and are allegedly easy when it comes to the opposite sex."
-The Sunday Times, Lifestyle Section.

I am an IJ student, and I am just partially affected by this piece of news, because I do agree there's a large population of girls who wear their belts real low on their hips and yes, we need to buck up on the attire. But what got me rather agitated, was THE ST commenting on IJ girls as "easy". Well, I don't think we are. We are NOT "allegedly easy when it comes to the opposite sex" It's as nice as saying that we are cheap. So how will others look at us in public now? When they see students in the IJ uniform, what kind of impression will they have? (oh-you're-so-frigging-cheap)

Moreover, I feel that it's really inappropriate as it's not only the locals who read the papers, but also foreigners. Degrading and humiliating all the IJ schools in Singapore, I just feel it's too much.

Well, these are just my personal views.
Wonder what do you all think about it?

[hisashiluv14]

I went to SNGS so I guess I qualify as an IJ girl. I think The Straits Times is a c-grade newspaper unworthy of my money, time and attention. The mere fact that they wrote something THAT stupid really goes to show how crappy they are. I wouldn't be surprised if there are girls from these IJ schools who sleep around, but that applies to ALL schools, not just IJ schools, and not just schools in Singapore. What's their point? It's stupid and lame.

[Starylosophy]

I'm an IJ girl for 10 years. (CHIJ - Our Lady Of Good Counsel to St. Joseph's Convent).

This comment really shocked me as well. Of course, there are many people out there saying that IJ girls are not decent when it comes to wearing uniforms. But it's not very intelligent to grade all IJ students this way. I was a prefect during my secondary school days and I wear the uniform the right way. Also, alot of students obey the rules as well. There are other schools also with pinnafores as their uniforms and I've also seen the girls wearing belts very low too.

This comment really made me very sad saying that all IJ girls are cheap. IJ schools are Catholic schools. It also brings down the reputation of other Catholic schools as well.

[kt_jingle]

ahh.
i think ij ppl are ok generally.
so stereotyping.
what's wrong with them.
sheesh.
and they call nanyang girls communist?
hey, that's long ago.
nerds?
that's minority.

mean mean stereotypes.

[petricia]

I see that this thread has been die quiet for some time.

Just want to raise a new topic/news for discussion.

How do fellow Singaporeans take the news of the detained convict escaping?
Do you feel that the police did not do their job? Or whether you feel that your safety is compromised?

Link to the news (http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPAAm6kiOO6le5ohSyNftf12x8YQ)

Personally, I do not feel too much about it, just wondering how did he managed to get off the hook, since this is like the first case in many years (if there was any before) that someone managed to escape.

My mother is taking the stand of what comes will come. So she is not overtly worried.

[liwei_jay]

Petricia,
I've read the news on ST too
and frankly speaking i'm quite suprised that this had happened in Sg
It is infact, i think a first of a case of any convicts managed to escaped?
i've been in Sg for 5 - 6 yrs and i find that Sg is a safe country
though it is never advisable to take things for granted

But i don't think this will really compromised much on our safety^^
It is afterall not sth that our govt wanna happened
I'm sure the govt will do sth to ensure that this will not happened again =)

I must say, i AM curious how could it happen though
my families had been debating and felt that could it be there's an inside help?
but who knws *shrugs* this is just so unexpected..
i guess everyone is wondering too..


WHat do you think? :happy:

[Jie_Lun_Rox]

I'm not too worried..

But it's quite stupid though :sweat:, the Indonesian police helped us to arrest him and we lost him again.

[Wendy]

I think the govt have A LOT to explain..

I am more interested to find out how on earth did he managed to escape.. I mean, the security have to be very tight, especially if he is a very dangerous man.. I was thinking that he might have inside help too.. if not, it is really impossible for a limping man to escape.

[*meow]

^ he's not really limping.
he only limps when he runs or walks very quickly. when he walks normally, his limp can't be seen.

and what, they just formed a group to look detailedly into how he got away. ARE THEY SLOW OR WHAT?

How do fellow Singaporeans take the news of the detained convict escaping?
Do you feel that the police did not do their job? Or whether you feel that your safety is compromised?

WELL... he IS a JI leader. he doesn't have to be really physically in the lead if the group really wants to do something. so maybe when i come back from my trip, i might just find something bombed.

[kaikaii]

He is the leader... He has a brain to be a leader, so if you think its really safe here still.. May God bless everyone that he cant find a way to cause trouble...

[petricia]

The Swine Flu is causing worldwide panic, ever since deaths are reported in Mexico.

I had a talk with my friends last night and apparently, one of them had forfeited her tickets to Europe because of the Flu.

Some of us think that after the Bird Flu outbreak in Asia, the Asians are more prepared to deal with this outbreak but yet, it is more infectious than the Bird flu.

What's your option on this outbreak of influenza?

[lattae]

It hasn't hit home yet. As in literally. Right now, SG is merely in this state of "caution".

I wonder if it will be anything like sars?

[catseyes]

I guess it is just a matter of time that it will happen. There are still people coming back from Mexico, i believe? And the thermal check is not 100% as those with the virus might not develop the symptoms just yet.

[petricia]

Though I have no doubt that it will eventually arrive on our doorstep, I really think that we are lots more prepared than other countries, after SARS. As far as I know, the new policy for my office is that anyone who steps in the office has to take temperature and once you have a fever, you got to go home. Hence imagine the ones that have to move in and out of office regularly. One of my colleagues has to move his table out (or so they told me since I have not step in the office yet) to main lobby to take temperature.

I guess this is not the worst yet, so.... more deaths expected...