THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !!!

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Seat on roller coaster flew off: Universal Studios Singapore

By Ion Danker – August 5th, 2010

The reason behind the five-month shut down of Universal Studios Singapore star attraction, the Battlestar Galactica is finally revealed.

A metal bar holding a seat to the chassis of the ride had given way, due to the repeated stress of the high-speed motion, and this sent the seat flying to the ground.

Resorts World Sentosa(RWS) spokesperson Krist Boo said in a Straits Times report that investigations had finally provided a ‘definitive’ answer why the accident occurred.

Ride-maker Vekoma Rides, one of the world’s most established roller coaster companies added: ‘Higher than anticipated stress and vibration levels caused fatigue cracks to develop in a welded component on the ride’s seat-post support’.

Additional safety measures will now be added to the ride with the use of a single seat post instead of a welded piece. This will eliminate the need for a relatively weaker joint at the welding to hold the seat and chassis together.

Universal Studios also revealed that re-opening the rides will be a lengthy process as the cars will have to be redesigned.

In an earlier report, Genting Group chairman and chief executive Lim Kok Thay said a “flaw in the design” of a car caused it to be grounded for more than four months.

“The ride is under a major re-design. Not the track itself. It’s a flaw in the design of the car that would not perform to the standards that we wish for it to perform,” he said.

He added that it was their policy to shut down the ride on “grounds of safety, not that there was any mishap or accident”, when signs showed it could have been unsafe after rigorous testing.

Police suspended the roller coaster’s licence on March 25 due to a technical glitch found during a test run.

According to Mr Lim, its closure has not affected visitorship to Resorts World Sentosa with crowds still heading to the theme park.

Some people Yahoo! Singapore spoke to are waiting anxiously for the ride to re-open and hope things are sorted out quickly without compromising safety.

“I was looking forward to taking my family there to ride it but it’s still not fixed,” said administrative officer Nur Diana, 28.

Sales executive Andy Tan, 31, felt that the theme park should reduce entrance fees since the main attraction is not running.

He said. “We are paying $72 for a weekend pass but can’t take the Battlestar Galactica. Don’t you think they should compensate visitors for this?”

Another visitor, Jolene Chua, 34, prefers to wait patiently before the green light is given for the rides to operate again.

“It’s better to be safe now than sorry later, so I would prefer them to take their time and make sure everything is fixed before re-opening the rides,” she said.

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Tiger Woods and wife Elin divorce after sex scandal

AFP - Tuesday, August 24

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Tiger Woods and Swedish model wife Elin Nordegren divorced Monday, their marriage succumbing to a blistering sex scandal that has left the world's top golfer struggling badly for form.

Woods, 34, and Elin Nordegren, 30, issued an amicable joint statement, saying they were sad to be ending their six-year marriage, wishing each other the best and promising to work together for their children's happiness.

"We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future," it said.

"While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us."

In Nordegren's petition for divorce, filed at the beginning of July, she claimed the marriage was "irretrievably broken" and asked for her maiden name to be restored.

Both Woods and Nordegren attended Monday's execution of the divorce at a court in Panama City, Florida, where they agreed to joint custody of their three-year-old girl Sam and one-year-old boy Charlie.

"Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being," the joint statement said.

"The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern."

Nordegren's lawyer, contacted by AFP, could provide no information about the terms of the divorce settlement, valued in media reports at anywhere between 100 million and 500 million dollars.

Woods's spectacular fall from grace began on November 27 last year when he crashed his car near his Orlando home in bizarre circumstances.

The incident touched off revelations about a massive sex scandal, leading to his admission of adultery and subsequent decision to put his golf career on hold while he tried to rescue his marriage.

The string of affairs left Woods's picture-perfect image as the faithful husband in tatters and the billionaire golfer began to lose valuable marketing contracts.

"It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try," Woods wrote on his website. "I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children."

Later he apologized publicly to Nordegren for igniting the tabloid frenzy in which more than a dozen women claimed affairs.

Woods, who said he had been "living a lie" and admitted to "doing some ugly things," received therapy at a sex addiction clinic before making a highly anticipated comeback at the US Masters in March.

Returning at the August National -- a comfortable setting where he has captured four titles, his first in 1997 being the first major crown won by a black golfer -- Woods finished a respectable fourth.

Since then, however, a string of performances ranging from mediocre to poor have seen many question whether the 14-time major winner is capable of recapturing the form that saw him dominate the game for a decade.

Woods enters this week's opening event of the US PGA Tour season-ending playoffs without a win this year.

Stripped of his invincible aura, Woods ranks only 108th in the points race and could at any moment lose his number one ranking.

Without a good finish at The Barclays, starting on Thursday, it could be his final outing of the season, as only the top 100 qualify for the next event.

Despite his woes, US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin says Woods is high on his list of captain's picks for the biennial match against the best European golfers -- to be contested this October at the Celtic Manor in Wales.

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SeaWorld fined 75,000 USD over killer whale attack

AFP - 23 minutes ago

MIAMI (AFP) - A US government agency has fined SeaWorld 75,000 dollars for safety violations after the February 24 death of an animal trainer who was fatally attacked by a killer whale during a live show.

The US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said SeaWorld, which owns several marine life entertainment parks in the United States, was being fined for three safety violations, including one classified as willful.

Long-time trainer Dawn Brancheu, 40, was killed in February when Tilikum -- a five-tonne orca linked to two other human deaths since 1991 -- grabbed her by her ponytail and dragged her into the water at the end of a show at SeaWorld Orlando.

"SeaWorld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals," said Cindy Coe, OSHA's regional administrator.

"Nonetheless, it required its employees to work within the pool walls, on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals."

OSHA said its investigation also "revealed that SeaWorld trainers had an extensive history of unexpected and potentially dangerous incidents involving killer whales at its various facilities, including its location in Orlando."

"Despite this record, management failed to make meaningful changes to improve the safety of the work environment for its employees."

Tilikum, a male whale, had been in captivity for 27 years at the time of the attack and is the largest whale on display at the Orlando SeaWorld.

Days after the attacks, the firm said the whale would receive the same standards of care and would not be punished for the incident. New regulations for handling and caring for the whale were implemented and the facility reopened shortly afterwards.

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AWAS !...Dun PLAY-PLAY !!!

Almost half a million UK sex infections last year

3 hours 23 mins ago

Britain recorded almost half a million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) last year, with teenagers and those aged under 25, especially young women, particularly affected, figures showed on Wednesday.

Health officials said the rise in STIs in young women was partly due to their reluctance to insist on using condoms.

Overall, 482,696 new STIs were diagnosed in 2009, an increase of 12,000 cases from the previous year, and continuing an upward trend seen over the last decade, the Health Protection Agency said.

Two-thirds of the new STIs in women were diagnosed in those aged 15 to 24, with more than half of new cases for men falling in the same age group.

There were also high rates of STI diagnoses among gay men.

"These latest figures show that poor sexual health is a serious problem among the UK's young adults and men who have sex with men," said Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of the HPA's STI section.

"These figures also highlight the vulnerability of young women. Many studies have shown that young adults are more likely to have unsafe sex and they lack the skills and confidence to negotiate safe sex."

In women, 73 percent of new cases of gonorrhoea and 66 percent of new genital wart cases were in those under 25, while 88 percent of female Chlamydia diagnoses were in this age bracket.

The peak age for an STI in women is between 19 and 20, and 20 to 23 for men, the HPA said.

Re-infection was also a problem with one in 10 of those aged 15-24 diagnosed with an STI becoming re-infected within a year.

"The numbers we're seeing in teenagers are of particular concern as this suggests teenagers are repeatedly putting their own, as well as others', long term health at risk from STIs," Hughes said.

Overall cases of Chlamydia were up by 7 percent, gonorrhoea diagnoses increased by 6 percent and genital herpes cases rose by 5 percent.

Hughes said better testing accounted for some of the rises, but added they were also due to unsafe sexual behaviour.

"It's staggering that almost half a million people each year are affected by preventable sexually transmitted infections," said Nick Partridge, chief executive of sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust.

"Until we improve sex education and give extra support to young people they will continue to take avoidable risks with their sex lives."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)

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New Van Halen album and tour due in 2011

Sunday, August 8 10:36 am

Rockers Van Halen are back in the studio with original frontman David Lee Roth and will release their first studio album in more than two decades next year.

The group completed its reunion tour with Roth in 2008 and many fans expected them to follow up the road success with a new record, but there was no word on any upcoming projects.

However, the band recently renewed its deal with publishers Warner/Chappell and guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his drummer brother Alex have revealed they are working on new material.

They stated, "(Van Halen) is currently in the studio recording an album with Roth that is due for release in 2011."

And the band will promote the forthcoming disc by hitting the road once again, reports Billboard.com.

The website claims the rockers' manager and Live Nation promotions executive Irving Azoff mentioned a Van Halen 2011 tour during a discussion about concert earnings on Thursday.

The group's previous studio album, Van Halen III, was released in 1998 and featured Gary Cherone on vocals.

Roth last appeared with his Van Halen pals on their best-selling 1983 release, titled 1984.

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Tiger's ex breaks her silence on sex scandal

AFP - Thursday, August 26

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Tiger Woods's ex-wife has broken her silence on the sex scandal that ended their marriage, saying the extent of his philandering had made her feel "stupid" and she had been through "hell."

Elin Nordegren told People magazine that stress from the lurid tabloid scandal caused her insomnia and weight loss, and that in the days before her divorce was finalized she began to lose her hair.

"I've been through hell," Nordegren, a 30-year-old Swedish former model, told the celebrity news weekly in an article posted Wednesday on its website and which will hit newsstands later this week.

Woods wed Nordegren in October 2004 in Barbados and they have a three-year-old daughter Sam and a 19-month-old son Charlie.

The divorce was finalized at a 10-minute court hearing Monday in Florida.

Woods, whose affairs with multiple mistresses destroyed his iconic image, took full blame on Wednesday in his first public comments since the divorce at course near New York where he starts a US PGA playoff event on Thursday.

"My actions certainly led us to this decision," Woods said. "I made a lot of errors in my life. That's something I'm going to have to live with."

Asked if he felt relief now that the divorce was complete, Woods said, "I don't think that's the word. I think it's more sadness."

Nordegren told People she initially felt "shock and disbelief" at learning Woods had cheated on her. Later, as a string of women, including a porno star, a cocktail waitress and a Las Vegas club manager claimed affairs with her husband she began to question herself.

"I felt stupid as more things were revealed. How could I not have known anything?" she said. "The word betrayal isn't strong enough. I felt like my whole world had fallen apart."

A reporter for the magazine interviewed Nordegren for 19 hours over four days, scoring her first published reaction to the sordid sex scandal that broke last November and made headlines around the world.

Nordegren said she and Woods had tried to reconcile but she ultimately decided it was hopeless because she had lost her trust in him.

She said she had been truly devoted to Woods and had hoped for a happily-ever-after life together with him.

"I loved him. We had so much fun," she said, "and I felt safe with him."

Asked to react to her grief and feeling like the divorce was a death, Woods said, "I certainly understand she is sad and I feel the same way."

"I wish her the best in everything. It's a sad time in our lives. We're looking forward in our lives and how we can bring up our kids the best way we can. That's the most important thing."

Woods's spectacular fall from grace began on November 27 last year when he crashed his car into a fire hydrant near his Orlando home.

The incident touched off shocking revelations about a string of extra-marital affairs that led to his admission of adultery and subsequent decision to put his golf career on hold while he tried to rescue his marriage.

The sex scandal became fodder for tabloid newspapers and television comedians amid speculation that Woods crashed his car after being walloped by a golf club-wielding Nordegren, after she learned about his affairs.

Nordegren told People some of the jokes were "pretty hysterical," but insisted there was never any violence in their relationship and she had simply been trying to get Woods out of the locked car.

"The speculation that I would have used a golf club to hit him is truly ridiculous," she said.

Woods, 34, was treated for sex addiction at a clinic in Mississippi in a bid to save his marriage before making his return at the Masters in April, but he has not won all season and his game has been in ruins since the scandal broke.

"It's a sad time," Woods said. "As far as my game and practicing, that has been secondary."

Nordegren said she is close to completing her bachelor's degree in psychology and that despite her husband's betrayal, "I also feel stronger than I ever have. I have confidence in my beliefs, my decisions and myself."

Woods and Nordegren issued a joint statement Monday acknowledging that they had ended their marriage, wishing each other the best and promising to work together for their children's happiness.

Asked about future prospects for romance, Nordegren said: "It's going to be just me and the kids for a little while, but I believe in love, because I've seen it. I've been there."

She also told People that she has not watched a second of golf since the split and that her interview with the magazine would be her first and last as she tries to remain a private person.

"My immediate plan is for the kids and me to continue to adjust to our new situation," she said. "I am going to keep taking classes, but my main focus is to try to give myself time to heal."

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Unchecked migration would see Singapore swell, Haiti halve

AFP - Saturday, August 21

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The populations of Singapore, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia would triple if everyone who wants to move there were allowed to, a poll released Friday by Gallup shows.

At the opposite end of the scale, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Zimbabwe would see their populations more than halved if migrants were allowed to leave at will, the poll found.

Gallup researchers interviewed nearly 350,000 adults in 148 countries between 2007 and 2010 to calculate each country's potential net migration score -- the number of adults who would like to leave a country minus the number who would like to move in, seen as a proportion of the total adult population.

They found that Singapore's population of 4.8 million would increase by 219 percent, New Zealand's population of four million would rise by 184 percent and Saudi Arabia's population of 26 million would soar by 176 percent if everyone who wants to come in and wants to leave, could.

Switzerland made it onto the list, which was first compiled in 2009, for the first time this year.

Some 800,000 of Switzerland's six million citizens said they would like to permanently leave the country, while some 10 million foreigners said they would move there if they had the chance.

The hefty influx of migrants to Switzerland versus the scant outflow from the Alpine country would mean its population would more than double, according to the Gallup poll.

The preferred destination of most would-be migrants is still the United States, although the already large US population -- 300 million inhabitants -- means that the impact is less acutely felt, Gallup said.

The United States is number 14 on the net migration list. If everyone could come into the United States that wanted to, and all those who wished to leave did, the US population would rise by around 60 percent.

At rock-bottom is Sierra Leone, the west African country that is still struggling to recover from a 10-year civil war that ended in early 2002.

If everyone who wanted to leave Sierra Leone could, and anyone who wanted to move there did, the country's population would plunge by 56 percent.

Haiti would lose 51 percent of its population, Zimbabwe would lose 47 percent, Nigeria and Ethiopia would each lose 46 percent and Liberia's population would fall by 45 percent.

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Girl-band star escapes jail over HIV infection

Yesterday, 06:17 pm

By Reuters Hakan Erdem

A German pop singer who confessed to knowingly exposing two men to the risk of HIV after finding out she had the virus herself was convicted by a court Thursday of grievous bodily harm. Skip related content

Nadja Benaissa, 28, from German girl-band No Angels was given a two-year suspended sentence. She could have faced up to 10 years in jail. Prosecutors had sought a lenient sentence because Benaissa had confessed and expressed remorse.

"I made a huge mistake," Benaissa told the Darmstadt court in western Germany at the end of the trial Wednesday, adding she had kept it all a secret because she was afraid of what would happen if the public learned she had been HIV-positive.

"I was a coward," she said. "I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could turn back the clock and make it all not happen."

Benaissa was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm in one instance for infecting a 34-year-old talent agent, and attempted grievous bodily harm for another occasion when she had unprotected sex with another man between 2000 and 2004.

She was also required to perform 300 hours of community service and submit to regular counselling sessions.

Benaissa's lawyer Oliver Wallasch said the trial had been a stressful experience for the singer but that she had no complaints about the punishment meted out.

"I think on the part of the defence and that of my client one can be satisfied with the verdict," he told reporters.

AIDS awareness group Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe (DAH), which had hoped for an acquittal, was unhappy with the decision, arguing that people infected with HIV now risked further stigma and would not be encouraged to come clean about the virus.

"I think this is the wrong verdict. This will do serious damage to HIV prevention," DAH spokesman Carsten Schatz said.

Benaissa said she had been aware she was HIV-positive since a routine blood test taken during her pregnancy in 1999, when she was 17. The talent agent later contracted full-blown AIDS, while the other man was not infected with HIV.

Both state prosecutor Peter Liesenfeld and Benaissa's defence attorney had sought a suspended sentence. Liesenfeld told reporters the fact she had made a full confession and expressed regret were the main reasons for the leniency.

Born in Frankfurt to a German mother and a Moroccan father, Benaissa and four others formed No Angels in 2000 after taking part in a television casting show.

The band became of the most successful girl-groups in Germany with hits such as "Daylight in Your Eyes" that were popular across Europe.

Benaissa, who has also worked as an actress in Germany, was initially arrested on the charge in April last year and spent 10 days in detention.

Prosecutors' publication of her medical condition sparked criticism that she had been unfairly treated.

(Writing by Erik Kirschbaum and Dave Graham; Editing by Steve Addison)

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Marcus Chin is a daddy at 57!

Xin.sg - Wednesday, August 25

Fifty-seven-year-old local comedian Marcus Chin finally got his wish as his girlfriend Eileen Cheah gave birth to a 2.99kg baby girl two days ago (Aug 18).

Marcus stayed with Eileen throughout the entire process and even personally cut the baby's umbilical cord. The moment he saw his baby girl Elise, Marcus was moved to tears.

"At my age I should be a grandfather already, yet now I'm a father! At least this is better than having no chance at all!"

Eileen went into labour on the 17th and was admitted into a hospital in Malaysia with Marcus and family by her side. After hours in labour pain, baby Elise was finally out.

Eileen revealed that she insisted on not having anaesthesia to get a taste of what it feels like to be a mother.

"It really hurt a lot and I had to scream; I almost wanted to give up!"

Marcus revealed that he named Elise as such because Eileen's name also begins with the letter 'E'. Elise's Chinese name will be decided by a fengshui master at a later date.

Marcus is also hoping for a second child.

"I hope this daughter can bring along a brother for me. But even if the second child is a daughter it's ok for us; we just want two children."

Eileen will be discharged from the hospital today and she will be staying at her own place in Kuala Lumpur to recuperate before moving to their marital home in Johor Bahru.

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Mourinho bemoans missed Real chances

AFP - Monday, August 30

MADRID (AFP) - – Jose Mourinho admitted he was disappointed to begin his Real Madrid career with a 0-0 draw at Real Mallorca citing poor finishing as the reason for his team's failure.

Mourinho was typically calm in his first post-match press conference acknowledging Real were far from their best but emphasising that positives could be taken from the performance.

"One positive is that from a defensive point of view we didn't have any problems," explained Mourinho.

"Another positive is the enormous number of chances we created in the second half. The negative is obviously the result.

"It is important to defend well and score when you are not at your best and we are far from our best. We didn't play well but we did enough to win.

"We had five or six chances but didn't take any of them and I am disappointed about that. We were solid defensively and if we had scored we would have taken the three points."

Argentine international Gonzalo Higuain was the main culprit Sunday missing three golden opportunities but Mourinho refused to point the finger.

"I am not a coach to criticise an individual for missing a chance or making a defensive mistake," said the former Chelsea manager.

An international break means Mourinho next game is in a fortnight when Real host Osasuna in front of the demanding Santiago Bernabeu crowd.

Real trail champions Barcelona, 3-0 winners at Racing Santander on Sunday, by two points putting more pressure on Mourinho's first home match and the coach is irked that his players will now go away on international duty.

"We need time to work on things but we don't have much time at the moment," bemoaned Mourinho. "There is nothing we can do about it."

Captain Iker Casillas said Real had been unfortunate not to take the spoils in Mallorca.

"There are things to improve but aside from the result I like what I see from the team," said Casillas.

"We tried to score and had good chances as well as being strong defensively. The ball just didn't want to go in tonight."

Midfielder Xabi Alonso admitted the draw was disappointing and said it was important that Real didn't get too worried about what rivals Barcelona, who won 3-0 at Racing Santander, are doing.

"We can't get obsessed with Barcelona," said Alonso. "We just have to focus on ourselves.

"It is two points dropped because we had to win and we had more chances. We just have to improve for the next match against Osasuna."

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Singapore native acts out the lives of Asian transsexuals

AFP - Friday, August 27

NEW YORK (AFP) - – The life of a transexual in Asia is limited to sexual work -- such is the searing viewpoint of Singapore native Leona Lo, who traveled to New York to present a first-person, three-act play on the subject.

The "Ah Kua Show" is a collage of experiences on the difficulties of being a transsexual person in places like Malaysia, Hong Kong or Bangkok.

The show, on stage at the "La Mama" alternative theater in Manhattan's East Village, is one of 197 events that are part of the XIV New York Fringe Festival.

The shows are staged on 18 small and experimental theaters, and are a far cry from the glitzy, big-budget Broadway productions.

"The idea is to open up the eyes of the world and to apply a bit of pressure on these countries to grant these women official recognition," Leona told AFP after a recent presentation.

Leona -- formerly known as Leonard -- Lo was born 35 years ago to a middle-class family of Chinese descent living in Singapore.

Lo's difficult teenage years, mandatory military service, school in England, and finally the sex change in Thailand are the subject of a 2007 book.

Transsexuals have different experiences across Asia, and the show, which includes song and dance numbers, attempts to portray this variety.

The "Ah Kua Show" covers a broad range, from 'ladyboys' in Thailand to transgender women in Malaysia.

Islamic clerics often turn the Malaysian transgenders in for counseling, "and they can only have jobs as sex workers," said Lo.

In Thailand, Lo said, transgenders "can only be show girls" because they are discriminated against and cannot find regular jobs.

In Hong Kong, Lo said, transsexual men who have not undergone an operation are in high demand.

However, in Singapore "we are ahead of a lot of Asian countries," said Lo. "I can marry a guy and I have a passport." Nevertheless, she said, "there is a lot of silent discrimination for being a transsexual."

Last year Lo became involved in the Asia Pacific Transgender Network, the first group of its kind in the region.

"HIV is a huge problem among transgender women in Cambodia and Pakistan," said Lo. "Forty percent of all Pakistani transgenders have HIV/AIDS."

In Malaysia and Indonesia "they have a huge problem with religion, preventing them from living as women. In Hong Kong we have a case right now where a woman is struggling to get married and we are supporting her."

Also, the group "just helped a transgender woman to escape from Mongolia and she has a refugee status in a European country right now."

The show's name, Ah Kua, are words in local Chinese dialect describing an effeminate or transsexual man.

The show also mentions frustrated encounters with white western "heroes" who promise eternal love and a ticket out of the world of prostitution and cabarets.

Sadly, this dream often ends up being a nightmare.

"There are lots of so called foreign guys who are looking for a transgender woman to bring back to the country and to abuse them," said Lo.

"Until I met my present boyfriend, I was in and out of several unhealthy relationships because I also had an illusion of getting the ideal boyfriend and everything else in my life would change."

Lo's advice: "Be happy with yourself, be happy where you are, but do something constructive with your life."

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Kookaburra sits in gum tree, but no longer 'gay'

2 hours 39 mins ago

An Australian school was under fire Thursday after erasing the word "gay" from iconic song "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree" to stop children tittering.

Garry Martin, head of Melbourne's Lepage Primary, said he did not mean to insult gay people by replacing the word with "fun" in the chorus, which normally goes: "Laugh, kookaburra, laugh, kookaburra, gay your life must be".

"I knew if we sing 'Gay your life must be' the kids will roll around the floor in fits of laughter," Martin told commercial radio.

"I just suggested to kids, 'Nowadays that can mean different things, so let's just sing fun'," he added.

Martin admitted he had probably been "hypersensitive", but said the word was commonly used as a playground insult and he was keen to minimise disruption in the classroom.

In hindsight, he said he should have simply explained the meaning of "gay" as another word for "happy", and told the children it shouldn't be used disparagingly.

"I wasn't trying to insult gay people... it was just a decision at the time that I thought would minimise a disruptive atmosphere with grades one and two."

"Kookaburra", penned for a 1935 Girl Guides jamboree, has been in the news this year after a judge found its tune was ripped off in Men At Work's "Down Under", a global hit in 1981 and an unofficial Australian anthem.

Men At Work and their record label were ordered to pay five percent of profits from "Down Under" to Larrikin Music, which had bought the rights to "Kookaburra".

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Outrage Over 'Princess Diana' Lingerie Ad

Yesterday, 03:05 pm

© Sky News 2010

A Chinese lingerie company has unveiled a new range of underwear featuring a Princess of Wales lookalike model on the 13th anniversary of her death.

Under the slogan "Feel the romance of British royalty" , the ad features the "Princess" wearing a tiara, necklace and blue bra and knickers as she plays a cello to a child.

The controversial poster has been splashed on giant billboards in shops and airports throughout China for millions to see.

The firm which has produced the lingerie, Jealousy International, is based in China's southern Guandong province.

On its website, the manufacturer has a section on the "Diana" range with the further slogan "Free your mind, free your style" and confusingly describes Diana's taste as "French Romantic".

The apparent attempt to exploit the Princess' image is the latest example of how companies have sought to capitalise on her popularity.

Britain has restrictions on using images of the Royal Family to promote products but is powerless to act against companies doing so abroad.

Clarence House, which represents Prince Charles, has declined to comment on the ad.

But a British journalist who spotted the ad while at Shenzhen airport in the south of the country was appalled.

Sam Chambers, who has worked in China for a decade, was reported as saying: "I was just going to collect my baggage from the carousel when I saw it flash up on a rolling advertising screen and couldn't quite believe what I was seeing."

Mr Chambers added: "I thought, surely not, because it was rolling quite quickly. So I waited to check when it came up again and, sure enough, there was an image of Diana. It's all the more striking because today is the anniversary of her death."

Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, in a car crash in a tunnel in Paris.

Her boyfriend Dodi al Fayed and their chauffeur Henri Paul, who were with the Princess in the car, also died in the accident.

The anniversary of the Princess' death was marked by her admirers who left bouquets of flowers outside Kensington Palace.

[kueytoc]

Wayne Rooney cheated on pregnant wife: reports

By yahoosingapore – September 5th, 2010

Two separate British tabloids have reported that England superstar Wayne Rooney had a long-running affair with a high-class escort while his wife was pregnant.

The Daily Mail and The News of the World both carried separate exclusives on Sunday which said the Manchester United striker slept with a Jennifer Thompson several times over a four-month period.

The Daily Mail reports the England star — who’s been married to his wife Coleen for two years after dating for six before that — even had a threesome with Thompson and a fellow escort.

Thompson, 21, who charges S$2,500-a-night, claims she and a friend met Rooney in June last year at a Manchester casino, five months before wife Coleen gave birth to their son Kai.

After exchanging numbers, Rooney reportedly met Thompson one week later at a five-star Manchester hotel for a threesome with a friend.

She said the “relationship” then carried on for several months after, with Rooney texting her to arrange meet-ups and paying in cash every time.

It’s reported that Rooney broke the news to his “devastated” wife earlier in the weekend after lawyers had tried unsuccessfully to prevent the allegations from being published three weeks ago.

Another British tabloid, The News of the World, even reported that Rooney invited Thompson back to his marital home several times while his wife was out.

While Rooney has yet to make a public statement on the reports, the England superstar could stand to lose millions in endorsements if the reports are true.

It’s not the first time Rooney is facing intense spotlight for his private life away from football.

In 2004, Rooney admitted he had visited brothels in Liverpool as a 16-year-old and even admitted to paying for sex with a 48-year-old grandmother.

The recent reports also questioned if the allegations were in part to blame for Rooney’s dismal World Cup campaign in South Africa, where he failed to score a single goal.

Ironically though, Rooney had a starring role in England’s most recent win — a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria in England’s opening 2012 European Championship qualifier on Saturday.

Although he’s been included in the England squad to face Switzerland on Tuesday (Wednesday morning, S’pore time), it’s unclear the extent of damage the reports will have on his career or reputation in the short-term.

Milner hoping Rooney ready for Swiss

AFP - Monday, September 6

LONDON (AFP) - – England's James Milner voiced his support for Wayne Rooney on Sunday after lurid reports about the striker's private life cast a shadow over preparations for the team's Euro 2012 clash with Switzerland.

After being showered with praise for his starring role in Friday's 4-0 Group G rout of Bulgaria, Manchester United icon Rooney awoke on Sunday to find himself plastered over the tabloid press for all the wrong reasons.

The News of the World and Sunday Mirror both carried reports that Rooney had repeatedly frequented a prostitute while wife Coleen was pregnant with their son, prompting speculation about his participation in Tuesday's key game.

FA sources have indicated no decision has been taken concerning Rooney's place in the squad but was expected to travel to Basel as planned on Monday.

Rooney is an integral part of England coach Fabio Capello's team, even though it is now 11 matches since he last scored for his country.

And Manchester City midfielder Milner indicated the England squad was firmly behind Rooney and wanted him to line-up for the encounter, regarded as being the trickiest of England's Euro qualifying campaign.

Milner revealed Rooney had trained normally on Sunday despite the revelations. "He did the full session," Milner said. "We had our full training session and back to football is what we're here to do.

"I think you want the best players out on the field and he's obviously one of them. He showed that the other night.

"He's a top, top player and you want to put out the strongest team possible."

Asked to comment on how Rooney was coping with the allegations -- the Sunday Mirror reported the star feared the reports could end in divorce -- Milner commented: "You're going to have to ask him."

However Milner said he was determined to ensure the claims didn't wreck England's otherwise perfect start to qualifying.

"We've got to make sure they don't," he said. "Things are always said in the paper, good things, bad things, about the England team when results are going well and when they're not going well.

"You have highs, you have lows, and it's down to us to make sure only thing that matters is on the field, come together and make sure we get the result. Winning football matches is the only thing that matters."

Milner meanwhile said the manner of Friday's one-sided defeat of Bulgaria -- where England produced their best performance since last year's World Cup qualifiers -- had helped close the door on the dismal campaign in South Africa.

"I think it was a good performance. It was all about the result, but to get a performance like that was nice," he said.

[kueytoc]

Vatican says in touch with Iran over stoning case

AFP - Monday, September 6

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AFP) - The Vatican said on Sunday it was in contact with Tehran over the case of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery amid a global diplomatic push for clemency.

The Vatican said it was using "diplomatic channels" to intervene in the case, while Italy urged Iran for a "act of clemency".

Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, is facing the death penalty after being convicted of having an extramarital relationship in a case that has sparked an international campaign for her release.

"The Holy See is following this affair with attention and commitment," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement issued in response to journalists' questions on the matter.

"The position of the Church, opposed to the death penalty, is known and stoning is a particularly brutal form," he said.

Intervention by the head of the Roman Catholic Church on humanitarian questions takes place through diplomatic channels, and this sort of action has been taken a number of times in the past, the statement said.

Pope Benedict XVI did not make any mention of the case at the traditional Angelus blessing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Sunday called on Tehran to grant clemency in the case, the ANSA news agency reported.

While reiterating his "full respect for Iranian sovereignty," Frattini said "only an act of clemency could save the life of this person."

He added that contacts had taken place with the Iranian embassy in Rome.

Frattini also recently said he had arranged to meet his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly in New York.

The plight of Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who was also convicted of being an accomplice in her husband's death, which she has denied, has caused a global uproar.

Tehran meanwhile has provisionally suspended the death sentence.

On Saturday, Mohammadi-Ashtiani's son Sajjad said she had also been sentenced to 99 lashes for a photo of her without a headscarf published in a British newspaper.

A French petition has been signed by two former French presidents and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

A hardline Iranian newspaper branded Bruni-Sarkozy a prostitute for signing the petition, with the French government describing the slur as "unacceptable".

France has urged the European Union to threaten new sanctions against the Iranian regime over the stoning case, while EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said talks were taking place with Tehran.

Mohammadi-Ashtiani's son called on the international community to continue the campaign, and appealed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to use his country's ties with Iran to assist in her release.

Lula has already tried in vain to convince Iran to let Mohammadi-Ashtiani take asylum in Brazil instead of being executed.

[kueytoc]

'Talk-Kock Sing-Song'

Were SM Gohs comments justified?

COMMENT By Faris September 8th, 2010

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tongs recent remarks that Singaporeans should stop griping and put their problems in perspective have ignited a fair amount of debate.

The Straits Times reports that SM Goh made the following comments during a Malay community event last Saturday: Its important that we do not complain too much when we cant get the house that we want, we cant get the carpark that we want, when the MRT trains are a little crowded.

We are in fact quite fortunate. These are problems created by our own success. There are many people who are not able to benefit from our overall success. Just remember them as we also try to solve our problems at the top end, he added.

His remarks though have since attracted a fair bit of criticism from those who feel the issues addressed legitimate areas of concern.

Social services executive, Lai Mun Loon, told the same paper, Mr Goh must have missed the point. If you created the problems, then solve them… We give our feedback as concerned citizens. We dont want to reach the point where were left with no recourse and no one wants to listen to us any more.

Another, Arena Loo, 32, added,I dont think these are just complaints. There is genuine unhappiness among the large middle class and if you suppress them, there will be social tension.

I, for one, am of the view that both parties have their point.

Yes, we must consider the plight of those in the lower-income brackets as mentioned by SM Goh.

If one goes to a Meet-the-People session or helps to bring food to the disadvantaged as I often have, the average Singaporean will be startled to see the substantial number of lower-income people who consistently require some form of financial assistance.

Perhaps, ironically, the government has only itself to blame for perfecting a system which too often harps on the importance of success, excellence and meritocracy which has inadvertently led to blinkered Singaporeans adopting a self-centred, me first attitude.

But, at the same time, I can see the other side of the coin.

Being a 21-year-old Malay undergraduate, I am sincerely worried about what the future holds for my generation and the ones after.

Will I be able to afford a home? Will I be able to raise my family and look after my parents in Singapore? Will I be displaced by a foreigner when it comes to employment?

These are bread-and-butter questions the government must think about for the benefit of future generations.

General overcrowding in tiny Singapore and rising property prices are legitimate concerns and the government must be wary of waiving off these concerns as mere gripes and instead tackle the root of the issues head-on.

Higher HDB prices would make it unaffordable for young couples dreaming of building a family home. With the already high cost of living, sky-rocketing home prices would only place unnecessary strain on their finances. This would translate into low birth rates as having children would be seen as an additional financial burden.

The influx of immigrants is making an already overcrowded Singapore even more crowded. The important thing is to educate them on our ethos, values and the very fundamentals that this country was built upon.

Social stability is sacrosanct and synonymous to the success of this country. Thus, it is vital to ensure that these immigrants understand the various cultures and religions and the significance of racial harmony. This would serve as barriers to formation of enclaves among their own kind. I am also hopeful that they, too, will be told to put their problems in perspective and think of the poor and hungry.

I spoke to some of my peers and friends and they generally agreed that Singaporeans must look at the bigger picture of things.

Among them, Khairulanwar Zaini, a 22-year-old undergraduate said, It is important to see things through a bigger perspective. I think that the government should find ways to address the concerns and assist the poor as well.

Lecturer, Michael Rebaczonok, in his 40s said, Their concerns are justified and it happens in every other society that the people will gripe over certain issues. But we have to look at things in perspective and count our blessings because there are people who are still struggling to make a living.

I dont envy the huge task facing the government because it is nigh impossible to please everyone all the time.

But having said that, I hope they listen to the people and hear what they have to say because, gripe or not, these complaints could be but mere symptoms of a deeper malaise.

Some Feedbacks:

henryhenry55

I've been through good and bad times with Singaporeans since 1965. Dear Mr SM Goh. After hearing your comments and speeches and taking Singaporeans' feedback as complaints and for not caring for the poor and needy, I'm very deeply dissappointed. Feedback comes in all forms and ways. Some might not be soothing to your ears and eyes, some might be seen as against the government, some might seen as being uncaring etc etc. However, deep down, our government should know that these are true facts and are affecting, not just the poor, but the majority, average Singaporeans as well. Some average Singaporeans would become "poor" by policies that were skewed towards money making rather than caring for the welfare of Singaporeans as a whole. If Singapore prospers, its people must come first ... not foreigners and not those PRs (those wanted to be on PR status only). As per the statistic, the ageing population is getting higher ... which means more retirements and joblesses on the way. Translating to monetary terms ... it means either no future income and declining in savings vs high spiralling cost of living. In short ... age goes up, savings go down, but daily expenses up. Major contribution to high cost of living are mainly attributed to high influx of foreigners ... like the socall FTs and PRs. However, the only consolation speech from you was the conversion of PRs to Citizenship ... failure which their PR status will be taken away. There is no such thing as "Net Happiness" if policies are fair all round. Policies set must be fair to all Singaporeans - the Rich (they have work hard for it), the Average (the middle income group) and the Poor ... with more help given to the poor and needy. Prior to future policies implemention, I sincerely hope Singaporeans' welfare be given 1st priority. Thanks.

criticise

When Singaporeans are still trying to make their ends meet, and coping with urban stress as a result of the ultra-liberal immigration policy that led to hikes in living costs, the last thing we all want to hear is some elitist, MIWs up their comfortably in their ivory towers reprimanding us for being complainy, whiny, and blaming us for this and that.

We don't compare ourselves with the past. Singapore today cannot be compared with the so-called fishing village decades back and just because of this, we rest on our laurels and tell ourselves that we're already better off these days, so we should shut up. This is off the point: the fact is that we always try to look ahead and compare ourselves with better societies which can advance economically and politically ahead of us. And, Mr Goh, please also prevent from the same old things MIWs like to use, like saying: look at Singapore, we're already much better than our neighbours, blah blah blah, and then self-praise MIWs' contributions over the past decades, again blah blah blah non stop and then telling us Singaporeans to shut our mouth.

Where is the Swiss standard of living once promised to us? Not only we Singaporeans are denied of this, we're also put through so much suffering. It's one thing to break a promise, quite another to add on to that by increasing suffering. Do you know that your policies brought misery to alot of Singaporeans, including young Singaporeans who have their dreams? Do you know your policies dashed the dreams of us all? Of course, you don't know because you're sitting comfortably up there in the ivory tower, and when you've the chance to identify the problems and do something about this, you and your fellow MIW colleagues choose to turn a blind eye, until elections come. We see how desperate you're trying to win back the votes of Singaporeans.

Your comments, at this point of time, are nothing but a blatant display of insensitivity put up at a time when Singaporeans are straining under the rising costs of living plus stagnated salaries, and we didn't see our country's economic growth translated into our well-being unless elections come. Your comments are not befitting of a politician but merely a corporate CEO who's trying to reprimand your employees. Singapore is not Singapore Inc, this is a country and we Singaporeans are not your slaves or employees. In fact, it should be the other way round: you MIWs are supposed to serve us people for the obscenely high salaries we pay you from our taxes.

Your comments are also a poorly-disguised attempt to cover up for the mistakes committed by the MIWs in the failed policies so far. And we Singaporeans are expected to pay for your mistakes, and we still have to endure your comments. So, please, knowing that you're a public figure, please think carefully before you speak. We're no longer daft Singaporeans hoodwinked by you, so do think carefully unless you want to shoot yourself in the foot by making those uncalled-for comments.

And, please don't add further injury to insult by trying to gain political mileage from the poor and destitute of Singapore. They're the ones who have been neglected and overlooked by you MIWs, if we don't want to forget how MCYS spent almost SGD400 million on YOG but a pitiful amount on ComCare. The poor and destitute, they may be poor and destitute, but they're certainly not daft to believe that MIWs are caring for them.

[kueytoc]

Are foreigners driving up property prices?

By Mr. Propwise (courtesy of PropertyGuru) – September 8th, 2010

With the growth of Permanent Residents and non-residents far exceeding that of citizens over the last five years, there’s been a growing sentiment among Singaporeans that foreigners are crowding out the market and pushing up property prices.

From 2004 to 2009, the number of PRs and non-residents grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 8.4 percent and 10.7 percent respectively, versus 0.9 percent for citizens (and 3.7 percent for the total population).

Over this period, a total of 677,000 foreigners (PRs plus non-residents) were added to the population versus 172,000 citizens.

In other words, foreigners accounted for about 80 percent of the growth in Singapore’s population over the last five years. By the end of June 2010, Singapore’s total population hit 5.08 million with foreigners accounting for 36 percent — that’s one foreigner for every two Singaporeans.

A growing population certainly adds to housing demand, and in this case, the growth has mostly been from the increasing number of foreigners.

This increased housing demand comes in the form of renters and buyers. More buyers would push up property prices directly, while more renters would do so indirectly as higher rents would improve rental yields and entice investors to enter the market.

Another way to look at this issue is by the rising proportion of foreigners buying private homes here. Foreigners (including PRs) accounted for 15.5 percent of total private home purchases in the first quarter of 2009, and that has risen to 23.7 percent in the second quarter of 2010 – so foreigners are playing a larger role in the private property market.

But foreigners are not the only factor supporting property prices.

The current environment of low interest (and mortgage) rates makes it easier for buyers to leverage up and pay higher prices. For example, a household earning S$8,000 per month can afford to borrow $811,312 when mortgage rates are at 1.5 percent, versus $586,491 when they are at 4 percent (assuming a 30 year loan and 35 percent of income spent servicing the mortgage).

Also, incomes are rising and Singapore residents are becoming wealthier.

The Inland Revenue Authority Of Singapore (IRAS), recently reported that the amount of personal income taxes received from individual tax payers rose from S$5.4 billion to S$6.1 billion in fiscal year 2009/2010, a 13 percent increase. With GDP growth expected to be 15 percent in 2010, income and wealth are likely to increase as well.

So it’s not just the growing population (mainly from foreigners), but also cheap money (interest rates are the price of money) and rising incomes which are supporting property prices. An additional factor could be the growing interest from foreign investors who are attracted by Singapore’s cosmopolitan buzz and strong currency.

These factors have contributed to a buoyant property market – prices rose 11 percent in the first half of 2010, and price levels have exceeded the historical peak reached in the second quarter of 1996.

In response, the government announced new measures on August 30, aiming to reduce the amount of speculative and investment demand in the housing market. In particular, the measures emphasise the role of HDB flats as a vehicle to fulfill resident end user demand and not investor demand.

Also, the planned increase in supply of HDB flats (22,000 Built to Order, 8,000 Executive Condominium and 7,000 Design, Build and Sell Scheme flats) are meant to moderate the rapid price increases experienced in the past few years.

Going forward, despite tighter controls of population growth and foreign worker inflow, Singapore’s overall population is still expected to hit 6 million by 2020.

For 2010, due to the booming economy, around 80,000 new foreign workers will be needed. This growing population (mainly from “importing” foreigners) and rising incomes will continue to support end user demand in the long term.

Mr. Propwise is the founder of Singapore property blog www.propwise.sg, which aims to help people make better real estate buying, selling, renting and investing decisions.

[kueytoc]

‘Government won’t force PRs to take up citizenship’

By Faris – September 9th, 2010

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has clarified recent comments he made regarding the status of Permanent Residents in Singapore.

In a dialogue session with grassroots leaders at Marine Parade on Monday, SM Goh suggested that the government will not renew the Permanent Resident (PR) status of some PRs who decline to take up citizenship.

According to The Straits Times, SM Goh had said, “Moving forward, we are going to approach some of them to take up Singapore citizenship. If they don’t, then their PR will not be renewed. That’s a better way.”

He added that of the 500,000 PRs in Singapore, “maybe 50,000 can be selected to become Singapore citizens, the rest can be PRs contributing to the economy.”

SM Goh was responding to a grassroots leader who had suggested offering citizenship to foreigners on an employment pass in order to “bind them to us”.

However, his remarks caused confusion and discomfort among Singapore’s large foreign community.

A comment thread on expatriate website ExpatSingapore was started on Tuesday with the header: “Singapore to expel 10 per cent of permanent residents”.

Following media queries, SM Goh’s press secretary, Mr Ho Tong Yen, said in a statement that SM Goh’s comment was a “general observation to illustrate the point that the Government would be managing the inflow of PRs and would encourage some of those who are already here to become Singapore citizens.”

Mr Ho also clarified that “the figure of 10 per cent which SM give away was only for illustration purposes.”

“It is not a target, nor is it the case that all PRs who turn down the offer of Singapore citizenship would not have their PR status renewed,” he added.

35-year-old businessman, Arumai Chandran, an Indian national who has been a PR since 2004, was happy to hear of the clarification.

He told ST, “It’s not correct to force PRs to become citizens because we are still contributing to Singapore.”

“But I’m glad the government is not putting pressure on me to do so,” he added.

Political observers highlighted that SM Goh’s remarks ignited a debate because it was seen as a departure from the government’s previous stance of allowing PRs to make their own decision on becoming citizens.

Dr Terence Chong of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) told the same paper, “It’s very out of character for the Government to give PRs an ultimatum.”

“If you want to compete for talent, you must have the ethos of an open-door policy,” he added.

Associate Professor Paulin Straughan also welcomed the clarification made by SM Goh. She noted that she preferred persuading PRs to take up citizenship rather than through a “punishment” which the threat to revoke their PR status could be seen as.

“The PRs we have are people with options. They are talented people wanted elsewhere. If we push them away, they will leave…(and) we end up shooting ourselves in the foot,” she said.

[kueytoc]

Mahathir blames S’pore for racism in M’sia

By Angela Lim – September 15th, 2010

A war of words has erupted between Singapore and Malaysia’s former leaders.

Ex-Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that racism in Malaysia is a result of Singapore’s two-year membership there, and not because the island was “turfed out” as suggested by the Republic’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew recently.

Rebutting recent comments made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Tun Dr Mahathir wrote on his blog, “With the background of Singapore’s activities in Malaysia in the short three (sic) years of its membership, can we really believe that if it had not been ‘turfed out’, race relations would be better in Malaysia?”

“While Kwan Yew (sic) talks about his belief that all ethnic communities should free themselves from the shackles of racial segregation in order to promote fairness and equality among races, he also said that ‘once we are by ourselves (out of Malaysia) the ‘Chinese become the majority’.”

His remarks were in response to comments Mr Lee made in an interview with The New York Times in which he compared how Singapore and Malaysia handle race relations.

Mr Lee had expressed that Malaysia would have achieved much of what Singapore had accomplished if it had accepted a multi-racial base, and described Malaysia as being in a “most unhappy situation”.

“I think if the Tunku had kept us together, what we did in Singapore — had Malaysia accepted a multi-racial base for their society– much of what we’ve achieved in Singapore would have been achieved in Malaysia. But not as much because it’s a much broader base. We would have improved inter-racial relations and an improved holistic situation,” Mr Lee said in the NYT interview, referring to Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The 85-year-old Dr Mahathir rejected the view, claiming it was “not supported by facts of history”.

“Before Singapore joined the Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia, there was less racial politics in the Federation of Malaysia,” he wrote.

Dr Mahathir claimed that after Singapore became a part of Malaysia in 1963, Mr Lee reneged on a promise that the People’s Action Party (PAP) would not participate in Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak politics and attempted to displace the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) in the Alliance by appealing to Chinese sentiments in the Peninsular.

“Of course the slogan was ‘Malaysian Malaysia’, which implied that the Chinese were not having equal rights with Malays. If this appeal to Chinese sentiments against the Malays was not racial, I do not know what is racial,” Dr Mahathir said.

Instead, he took aim at Singapore politics, claiming “whether the PAP admits it or not, the party has always been led and dominated by ethnic Chinese and has won elections principally because of Chinese votes. The others are not even icing on the cake,” he said.

“Amnesia is permissible, but trying to claim it is because Singapore had been ‘turfed out’ for the present racial politics in Malaysia is simply not supported by facts of history,” he added.

In Malaysia, opinions were mixed in response to both leaders’ remarks.

The Straits Times reported that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said on Monday that Mr Lee’s comments were “ill-informed and coloured with historical bias.”

On the other hand, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim felt that Mr Lee’s comments were a “historical statement”. Selangor executive councillor and opposition politician Teresa Kok agreed, saying Singapore is ahead of Malaysia because it placed merit above race considerations.

MCA president Chua Soi Lek admitted that race relations are not as good as they should be. But he told Bernama it would be unfair “to say that Malay leaders always harp on Malay superiority”.

Tan Sri Khalid said both Dr Mahathir and Mr Lee had the right to express their opinions on the issue.

“You can’t say Singapore has progressed while Malaysia has not. Malaysia’s progress is subject to several constraints, and so is Singapore’s,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

“The future is not about that, it’s about how we can work together,” he adds.

[kueytoc]

‘Today, I killed my wife, no joke!’

By yahoo singapore – September 16th, 2010

SYDNEY, Wednesday 15 September 2010 (AFP) – A husband who had cared for his mentally-ill wife for years was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he fed her a fatal dose of medicine because she cut the wires on his stereo, reports said.

Singapore-born Hung Kiat Tan, 58, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Brisbane court to murdering his 53-year-old wife Siew Kee Ang last year by feeding her a lethal amount of her medication, Australian news agency AAP said.

Crown prosecutor Sarah Farnden said Tan, who had been his schizophrenic wife’s full-time carer for five years, decided to kill the woman when he came home one day to find his stereo damaged.

“This morning could be the last straw,” Tan wrote in his diary at the time.

He then gave his wife 84 anti-psychotic tablets and walked to a nearby store to call an ambulance after a brief resuscitation attempt. The woman had given no resistance as she was fed the medication, the court heard.

“I can only assume that she was thinking ‘Okay, you want me to die, okay, I will do that’,” Tan later told police.

After a brief attempt to rescuscitate her, Tan walked to a nearby store to call for an ambulance.

“Today, I killed my wife, no joke!” was another entry in his diary, reported the Brisbane Times.

Tan told police: “You know, I killed my wife. By giving her all the tablets, my intention was to kill her. It’s not an accident, ok, it is a murder.”

When asked why he killed her, he said he feared he would die and there would be no one to care for her.

“Because I have to have a contingency plan. My daughters [are] useless. They can’t even look after themselves,” he said.

“It is best that I kill her. She can wait for me. It is a win-win situation for everybody.”

But Tan said he had no reason to believe he would die, saying he was healthy and thought he would live another five years, Ms Farnden said.

Justice Glenn Martin said he understood Tan would have been under considerable emotional pressure having to care for his wife who was “suffering from the ravages of schizophrenia”.

“There is only one sentence I can impose… you are imprisoned for life,” he said.

Tan’s lawyer said his client’s only instructions had been to tell the court he was very sorry for what had happened.

According to court documents, Tan and Ang married in Singapore in 1976 and had two daughters aged 30 and 28, news.com.au reported.

They moved to Australia in 1989 and became Australian citizens before settling at Inala in west Brisbane.

[kueytoc]

Why gov’t had to act swiftly against IRs: Dr Balakrishnan

By Ion Danker – September 15th, 2010

Community Development Youth and Sports Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, says the free shuttle bus rides to both IRs had to be stopped immediately last Friday because they violated strict casino regulations.

The Minister was responding in Parliament on Wednesday to questions on why the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) acted so swiftly to shut down the free rides to HDB heartland areas and the Central Business District provided by both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

“Our action conveys clearly to both integrated operators to confine promotional efforts for the casinos (to) tourists only,” said the Minister.

“We will not allow any promotions aimed at Singaporeans especially in our heartlands. The integrated resort operators have been reminded that they must comply strictly with our rules against casino advertising to locals.”

Dr Balakrishnan also pointed out how some buses ran as late as 230am when most of the facilities at RWS would already have been closed except for the casino.

MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher de Souza had questioned why the CRA did not act sooner when he said, “They seem to be reactive rather than proactive in this.”

He raised this point after it was reported that RWS introduced its free shuttle services between the resort and 12 HDB town centres three months ago.

He also asked: “What can be done to ensure that the CRA is more proactive in future, and what are the repercussions for breaches of their orders, and has that been made clear to the IR operators?”

Dr Balakrishnan defended the CRA and said they had acted decisively against the two IRs.

“We knew full well that we could make all the preparations, set the legislative framework and rules and transmit them and we can explain and re-explain the principles behind the rules,” he said.

“However, from time to time, they will test the boundaries, and when they test(ed) the boundaries, we have responded appropriately, decisively and quickly.

Dr Balakrishnan also revealed that the CRA has instructed RWS to stop all promotional efforts at heartland malls.

Citing the example of RWS promoting its Genting Rewards programme at heartland shopping malls and the 7th Month (Hungry Ghost) events, he said: “This programme allowed patrons to earn points and accumulate benefits, but these points can only be earned in the casino.”

“RWS also released stories of casino winnings to the media. All these activities contravened the advertising regulations and CRA instructed them to stop.”

Turning his attention to the government’s decision to allow casinos as part of the IRs, Dr Balakrishnan reiterated that its key objective was to enhance Singapore’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.

“We made it clear that the casinos were primarily to attract additional tourists from abroad. However, we would not exclude locals entirely from the casinos, unlike some other countries,” he said.

“Instead, we imposed advertising restrictions and a comprehensive set of social safeguards. Our aim was to minimise the impact of the casinos on locals, to protect vulnerable groups like young persons and dependants, and to prevent the casinos from targeting the locals as their principal market.”

Dr Balakrishnan revealed that in the seven months since the casinos opened, there were more than a million visits by local residents to the two casinos.

“These numbers fortunately appear to be stabilising as the novelty wears off, but we are monitoring the trends closely,” he said.

[kueytoc]

SPH sacks senior exec for illegal payments, pocketing vouchers

By Ion Danker – September 17th, 2010

Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) has dismissed a senior executive after he voluntarily admitted to receiving illegal payments and misappropriating shopping vouchers handled by his Editorial Projects Unit.

According to a SPH statement on Thursday, police are conducting investigations on 47-year-old Peter Khoo Chong Meng, a 22-year veteran of the media group and a vice-president in the English & Malay Newspapers Division.

Mr Khoo has reportedly repaid S$196,500 for payments he admitted to receiving illegally and for the vouchers he misappropriated.

The vouchers were intended for branding and promotion activities of The Straits Times, which his Editorial Projects Unit organises.

The illegal payments are believed to be related to external vendors who provided souvenirs, gifts, T-shirts and various goodie items.

The news came to light after the married father of one confessed to his editors earlier this week what he had done. It’s not clear over how long his offences took place or if they would have been discovered at all if he had not come forward.

Mr Khoo also chaired the organising committee which coordinates events and activities to raise funds for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STPMF). He has been replaced in this role with immediate effect.

As the Unit organises fund-raising activities for the STPMF, SPH said that, to the best of the company’s knowledge, none of the donations made to the Fund were misappropriated.

The Fund, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, helps needy children with education and living costs in Singapore. Over the past 10 years, the Fund has raised a total of $30 million through various campaigns.

As recently as July this year, Khoo launched its Help-A-Kid coin bank campaign, which encouraged Singaporeans to purchase 50,000 coin banks at $5 each to help the less fortunate.

The money collected by STPMF is kept in an account with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), who in turn disburses the funds out to needy students.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Khoo declined comment and said his lawyers have advised him to refrain from making any statement.

In a statement, SPH chief executive officer Alan Chan said: “SPH takes a serious view of the matter. We are reviewing our internal processes and will do whatever is necessary to tighten our procedures in all aspects, including that of the Pocket Money Fund. Our external auditors have also been informed.”

Chief editor of the newspaper, Han Fook Kwang, was also quoted as saying, “This is a big setback for us. While we do not believe the STPMF was involved, I would like to assure our many donors and supporters that it is our top priority to maintain the integrity of the Straits Times Pocket Money Fund.”

An editor with the media group, who declined to be named, told Yahoo! Singapore his initial reaction was one of shock.

“I heard his(Khoo’s) staff were in tears. I’m surprised why a man of his level would succumb to greed. I mean, it’s $200k, it’s not worth losing your career over, especially, when he earns about $15k a month,” he said.

“His staff were disappointed because he always nagged them about being prudent and cost-conscious and about being honest when dealing with clients,” he added.

Asked if he thought more than one could be involved, he said,” I don’t think so. And it did not involve the ST Pocket Money Fund, which he was in charge of.”

Another sub-editor within the group, who requested to remain anonymous, said it was “disheartening” to hear the news.

“People are losing confidence in charities and fundraising and to have someone from the organisation embroiled in this is disheartening,” she said.

“Given that he was a journalist with the national paper makes it worse because we tend to expect more from people of this profession,” she added.

Another SPH magazine editor said he was “disappointed that someone who earns so much still wants to steal.”

[kueytoc]

Philippine dad convicted of rape gets 14,400 years

AP - Friday, September 24

MANILA, Philippines A Philippine court has sentenced a father to 14,400 years in prison after he was convicted of the near daily rape of his teenage daughter over the course of a year.

A trial court originally condemned the man, a rickshaw driver, to die in March 2006 after he was convicted of 360 counts of rape _ allegedly carried out during the year his wife worked in Hong Kong.

But the Court of Appeals in Manila commuted the sentence to 40 years for each count, according to a court decision obtained Friday. The defendant can still appeal to the Supreme Court. It was not clear if he would.

The then-13-year-old victim, now 22, said her ordeal began in January 2001, when her mother left for work in Hong Kong as a domestic helper and left her three children with their father in Los Banos, a township just south of Manila.

She said he forced her to have intercourse with him almost every day, except when she had her period or on holidays, when he would make her perform orall sex.

The ordeal only ended after she and her siblings spent a vacation with their mother's relatives. Reluctant to return to her father at the end of the vacation, she broke down and told her family about the abuse. Her mother returned home from Hong Kong and helped her file the case.

The appeals court affirmed the lower court's dismissal of the defense's contention that the man's wife made up the allegations to get custody of the children and marry a foreigner.

[kueytoc]

Mas Selamat’s return not part of POA with M’sia: PM Lee

By Ion Danker – September 26th, 2010

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Mas Selamat Kastari’s return to Singapore was not part of the recent Points of Agreement (POA) discussions with Malaysia.

Speaking on the sidelines of the US-ASEAN Leaders meeting in New York, PM Lee told Channel NewsAsia, “We are grateful for their co-operation and help throughout this operation. And we hope that through this co-operation, we will be able to work together and make both Singapore and Malaysia in the region, a safer place from extremist terrorists like Mas Selamat and his crew.”

“We have good bilateral ties with Malaysia, we have many areas of co-operation including the POA we just settled earlier this week…. We’ve always had a good relationship (with regards to security co-operation),” he added.

Netizens had linked Mas Selamat’s release to Singapore to the historic land deal with Malaysia, where six prime parcels of land in Marina Bay and Ophir-Rochor will be jointly developed by the two countries’ investment arms and as part of the agreement, Singapore will gain six plots of Malayan Railway land – three in Bukit Timah, and one each in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands.

However, PM Lee also warned that the terror threat has not gone away even though the republic’s most wanted terrorist Mas Selamat is back in Singapore’s custody and urged Singaporeans to continue to be vigilant.

“Now that we have got him back, I think we continue to need the support of Singaporeans to tackle the question of extremist terrorism and keep Singapore a safe society. The problem hasn’t gone away. Mas Selamat is one but there are others out there in the region around us,” he said.

Mas Selamat, 49, is the Singapore cell leader of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network. He was held at the Whitley Road Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA) before he escaped on February 27, 2008 by climbing out a bathroom window. After a year on the run, he was captured in Malaysia in April 2009 and was detained there.

According to news reports, Malaysian authorities lifted his detention order, which was to expire next April, on Friday morning before deporting him back to Singapore. He was then arrested under the Singapore ISA and is currently under investigation.

[kueytoc]

Alamak !...AWAS !!!

Report: Snake in room adds to C'weath Games woes

By RAJSHEKHAR RAO, Associated Press Writer - Sunday, September 26

NEW DELHI – Two more Australian athletes withdrew Sunday and a South African competitor reportedly found a snake in his room as complaints over cleanliness, security and construction continued to dog the troubled Commonwealth Games a week before the sporting event opens in New Delhi.

While international sports officials have said the situation had improved dramatically in the athletes' village over the past couple days _ after inspections last week turned up rooms spattered with chewing tobacco and human excrement _ some teams said the situation remained grim.

Tuelo Serufho, head of the Botswana contingent, told Press Trust of India that his team's rooms in the village were "unlivable for our athletes," with filthy bedsheets, bathroom fixtures that did not work and construction debris yet to be cleared away.

"Our athletes will be here by Tuesday," he said, warning they would have to check into hotels if the rooms were not ready by then.

The multi-sport games, held every four years, bring together nearly 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories from across the former British empire. The games were meant to be a coming-out party for India to cement its reputation as a growing regional power. Instead, its image has been battered by negative publicity about its frantic last-minute efforts to get ready for an event it knew it was hosting seven years ago. The games open Oct. 3.

Last week, a pedestrian bridge leading to the main stadium collapsed, and adding to the organizers' woes earlier, two tourists were shot and wounded outside one of New Delhi's top attractions.

That led to talk of postponing or canceling the games. But those discussions dissipated after the government poured enormous resources into addressing the problems, particularly with the long-overdue athletes' village. The village opened as scheduled on Thursday although some teams delayed their arrival because of concerns that the accommodation was not yet ready.

Among the problems to surface this weekend: a snake found in the room of a South African athlete in the village.

"We have very grave concerns," South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo told the Press Trust of India news agency. "If snakes are found we can't ask our teams to stay there."

It was not immediately clear if the snake was poisonous. The athletes' village is built on the banks of the Yamuna River, which is swollen from monsoon rains. Heavy rains often force snakes into residential areas.

Complaints also came from Indian competitors.

Boxer Akhil Kumar, who won gold for India in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, said he was disappointed with his accommodation. "When I sat down on my bed to take a rest, it collapsed," Kumar was quoted as saying by the Times of India newspaper.

On Sunday, Australian cyclist Travis Meyer and table tennis player Stephanie Sang announced they would pull out of the competition _ following a string of other athletes who have decided to stay away, either because of health and security concerns or injuries.

Australian Commonwealth Games chief Perry Crosswhite said he was disappointed with the withdrawals, but respected the athletes' decisions.

The English team, meanwhile, which had checked into hotels last week because of the filthy conditions, said they would begin moving into the athletes' village Sunday.

A team statement said support staff would be the first occupants "to ensure that conditions continue to be on track" for the athletes, who move in Monday.

"It's exciting but also a relief to be able to occupy our accommodation," team leader Craig Hunter said. "It has been a challenging experience but one which will make us stronger as we strive to be successful now on the field of play."

On Saturday, Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell said that significant work had been done in recent days to push forward preparations, but that plenty more remained. Water was remaining in the basement of the athletes' village, there were transportation and technology difficulties and issues with security and fire safety, he said.

Associated Press Writer Tim Sullivan contributed to this report.