Mon, May 31, 2010
New Straits Times



KULAIJAYA: She was alive, with her umbilical cord still attached, when placed in a milk box and left on a bus stop seat in Jalan Air Hitam-Johor Baru here early yesterday.

Not long after being found, the baby girl's life was cut short. She died some 30 minutes later at the Kulai Hospital after being rushed there by a passerby.

The baby is believed to have been placed at the bus stop near SMK Munsyi Abdullah at 4.50am by an unidentified man who sped off in a Proton Wira.

Labourer Zulkifli Samsi, who sent the baby girl to the hospital, said he observed a man acting suspiciously and saw him place the box on the seat.



The 40-year-old father of three, who was on his way for a drink, said he was curious about the box and went to see what was in it.

"I was shocked to find a baby, wrapped in cloth, with her fingers moving," said Zulkifli.

He rushed the baby to the hospital, which was a 15-minute drive away.

Despite his prompt action, the baby was pronounced dead at 5.30am.

Zulkifli, of Taman Putri, said the baby was still moving her fingers when the doctors took her but she was hardly breathing.

"I wish that I had got a better view of the man and the car. That 'animal' should be caught," he said.
As a father myself, I can't help but feel sad that a beautiful baby is dead because of human cruelty. I cannot believe someone could actually do this to a baby."

Kulaijaya police chief Zulkefly Yahya urged those with information on the case to contact the Kulaijaya district police headquarters at 60-07-6637222 or the Johor police hotline at 60-07-2212999.

RESPONSE:
I am really saddened by the fact that such human cruelty do exist in the world. And I cannot get myself to believe that people can go such lengths of action to close up their shame or save their faces but sacrifice an innocent life,at the same time.

I support harsh punishments to these kind of crime and those who do such actions deserve discrimination,and no second chance should be granted to them at all.
I love children!They are innocent and pure beings and should be nurtured,not tortured in many cruel ways,like in this article.

I really felt pitiful to the newborn baby, and angered by the man who placed the baby there. Imagine being cramped in a small compartment.Honestly,I wish that man would meet with a car crash or mishap of any sort.

I hope the Malaysian government could do something about this,and the one who did such unhumantarian act should be punished severely.


NURHIDAYAH

http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/05/25/oil-spill-off-singapore-after-vessels-collide/

"The oil spill from Tuesday morning’s collision between two large vessels has been spotted along a 700-metre stretch of Changi Beach." From as far as i know, it was reported in news that the oil spill has been spotted at coast of Indonesia.

Personal Response:
After hearing the news, what was your first response? Are you worried for the water we are drinking from our taps? or are you worried for the marine animals and wildlife? or are you worried for the crews on board? If you are worried for the water, fret not, according to an AET spokesperson, it was told that the shores were "cleaned up by specialists using a small armada of boats" and "oil dispersants". If you are worried for the marine animals, do not worry, the "oil dispersants" are all doing their very best to prevent more lives being taken away. Apart from it, should be the oil slick hit the shores, "it’s mainly the invertebrates like the crabs, the sea snails that will likely be affected.” As far as we are concerned, these lives can be prevented from taking away when our authorized personnel managed to save them on time. Whereas, if you are worried about the crews on board, it was reported "nobody was injured in the accident and ship traffic in the area has not been affected by the incident".

To further add on, "the National Environment Agency said it would take “the next few days” to clean up the coastline and advises the public to stay away from the affected beaches". Because it was strongly believe that these oil spills can cause allergy to beach users who have over-sensitive skins. It was also reported over the news that the recent oil spill has caused a drop in businesses that are situated at the coast areas. We should all learn to be more careful in the future potential causes to prevent loss.

SHERIDIN TAN :)

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20100528-218968.html
Like what? 2,000-calorie milkshake tops list of worst drinks? No doubt, this news article is true. According to Men's Health magazine in America, milkshake has "topped a list of the 20 worst drinks". Drinking "a milkshake containing 2,010 calories -- equivalent to eating 68 strips of bacon or 30 chocolate chip cookies". According to the report, it was stated that "The Cold Stone PB&C milkshake, made with peanut butter, chocolate ice cream and milk, contains 68 grams of saturated fat and 153 grams of sugar, according to nutritional details on the company's website".

Personal Response:
Isn't this a disappointing news for all milkshake lovers? It is definitely one disappointing news for me because i am a milkshake lover. I enjoy indulging in milkshakes! With this news proven correctly with nutritional details, i will now have to be more careful with all kinds of milkshakes that i am going to put in my mouth! I can be careful by learning to read nutritional details and choosing to eat healthily. So let's stop finding excuses for ourselves not to eat healthily, people!

Sheridin :)

Every child she knows is forced to take private tuition

Source :http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100511-215526.html
Article by: Barbara Chen (Ms)


EVERY pupil I know requires private tuition in Chinese. At the Chinese tuition centre my children attend, there are even a few children whose parents are native Chinese speakers.

Why do so many of us need help to teach our children Chinese?

One reason is that, contrary to claims, few parents are truly bilingual.


The other is that our children have limited or no contact with Chinese in their living environment.

There is a bias towards English in school, games, Internet activities and, with more than half of them, their families.

English is so dominant that even children from Chinese-speaking households use English as their primary language of communication outside the home.

Small wonder then that foreign students arriving in Singapore with poor English ultimately perform well in English examinations.

With such a language landscape, it is unrealistic to expect most children to achieve the same level of competency in Chinese as in English.

To do so is to burden our children unnecessarily; they already face so much stress in the current system.

A United Nations study in 2001 revealed that Singapore students were more fearful of failing in exams than of a parent dying.

How did we get to this state?

While Chinese is important, can the language be imbibed at a more leisurely pace - for example, spread out over 10 years, with a definitive exam only when they are older, say at age 16?

By that time too, more students can understand better the cultural and economic value of the language, and have a stronger motivation to study it.

Delaying a definitive exam - or reducing the mother tongue weighting - will enable children to keep pace with learning the language and be spared the 'Chinese imperial examinations' at age 12.


How i feel:
After reading the article, i feel attached to the writer. She seems to understand just what students and parents want to convery and how we feel. When i was in Secondary school, i struggled through Chinese just like many other students. That is because our main communicating language between ourselves and our teachers is English. And for all of our subjects except Chinese, everthing is taught in English and we learn using English. So naturally, our base for English is more firm and stable. Luckily the O level system is in such that students are able to take out 1st mother tongue papar at early June. So after our Mother tongue results were released, we can choose whether to retake Chinese language or not in October with the other papers. The had helped many students to gage their base and ability to score.

However, no matter how much i dislike Chinese, my parents do not allow me to speak English at home. They think that that is the only way to maintain our connection with the Chinese language. They have this traditional thinking that - we are Chinese so we should speak Chinese and know all about Chinese and its culture. So in this point of view, i think that Chinese should not be a burden for the students. Chinese language is also becoming more and more important in the world as China is improving rapidly.
Therefore, knowing the Chinese language will be a bonus and huge benefit to us.

I think that 'spreading out over 10 years, with a definitive exam only when they are older, say at age 16?' is unnesessary and the current system is acceptable.

Students, as Chinese, should be able to cope with this subject/language.


KAHMIN

MRT priority seats a bad idea

Source: http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Transport/Story/A1Story20100506-214540.html


IT IS almost like a comical musical- chair routine, played out on Singapore's public-transport services.

A passenger boards the bus or MRT train and rushes to occupy seats other than the priority seats, which are usually a different colour from regular ones.

The 'slower' ones who get the priority seats had better give them up to pregnant, old or disabled people who board the bus after they do.

Otherwise, they will be bombarded by disapproving stares from other commuters, who hope to force them to give up their seats.

These priority seats have been causing much hoo-ha since they were launched here two years ago, with the public comparing the success of the move with similar initiatives in Japan and Taiwan.

Yet, has Singapore really become more gracious?

Or have we merely shifted our civic responsibility to others?

Priority seats actually absolve people from the responsibility of being the first to perform a gracious gesture.

Just take a look at the 662 articles on citizen-journalism website Stomp from indignant Singaporeans, illustrated with photos of priority-seat campers.

The offenders ignored the stares and refused to give up the seats to people in need.

Some of these campers refused to vacate the seats even when requested, sparking suggestions to fine them, as practised in cities such as New York.

Add angry headlines, and watch the drama and indignant online comments come thick and fast.

Are these articles and comments proof of commuters here becoming more gracious, as claimed by a recent Singapore Kindness Movement survey?

That is highly doubtful.


How i feel:
After reading this article, i feel ashamed. Ashamed to know that most Singaporeans are 'forced' to give up their seats for those who really need it. I think giving up your seats for people who need it (pregnant, old or disabled people) is a kind act from the heart --courteousness/graciosity, NOT something to stress over.

And to be fair, the public shouldn't put the blame totally on the people sitting on priority seats for not giving up their seats to the needy people because the people seating on normal seats should share the blame. So what if you're seating on normal seats? You have every right to give up your seat to an old lady and not waiting for someone sitting on priority seats to make the first move. I agree with the writer that priority seats isnt a very good idea because Singaporeans have not become more gracious/kind. They merely push the responsibility to people on priority seats and most people wouldn't giving their seats willingly.

I think the government should organise more campaigns to promote kindness and encourage Singaporeans to be more gracious and courteous to our fellow compatriots.


KAHMIN 

source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_527512.html

BANGKOK - THAI news reports say a renegade army general who worked for Red Shirt protesters has died of gunshot wounds in hospital Monday, five days after he was shot by a sniper.

Channel 9 television, Thai Rath newspaper and other media outlets said Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdiphol died on Monday. Maj. Gen. Khattiya was the military strategist of the Red Shirts. He was shot in the head on Wednesday.

The attack triggered widespread street fighting between anti-government protesters and the army in central Bangkok. At least 36 people - all civilians - have died in the violence.

The Red Shirts have been protesting since mid-March demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the dissolution of Parliament and new elections.

Violent clashes in Bangkok have left 35 people dead, officials said Monday, after the government ruled out foreign intervention to end the two-month stand-off.

The worsening violence has turned parts of the city into no-go zones as troops use live ammunition against anti-government demonstrators, who have blocked streets with burning tyres, and fought back with homemade weapons.

my comments:

After i read this article,i really feel that the behaviour of the Red Shirt protesters are really too far abroad. Why? Their actions are irrational and unreasonable,in my opinion,as it had caused multiple deaths of civilians. Also, the security of the country is badly affected and this had driven foreign investors and tourists away from the country due to the violence the Red Shirt protesters had shown, affecting the economic stability.

But what i do not understand is that,why are the Red Shirt protesters extremely paranoid and patriotic about who becomes the prime minister to such extent that they caused deaths of their fellow countrymen? Dont these people have work or family which they can get back to at the end of the day?

I really believe that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will govern Thailand to prosperity and shape the country to have a strong economic at a global level,as compared to the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. But it really saddened me to know that in Thailand,people put their own interests first before the security and safety of the people and the country.

an overview by,
NURHIDAYAH

Adapted from:
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20100507-214781.html

This new report was on children of kiln workers who have been leashed to the workshop's windows with rope by their parents. This was reported from HAINING, Zhejiang. According to the report, it was believed that "parents of these children do not have time to look after them while they are away at work". Hence, the best solution of all is to leash the kids to the workshop's windows whilst they are working. It was also stated in the report saying that the parents of the kids are afraid that their children will get into an accident if left unsupervised. Furthermore, these children are leashed for nearly 10 hours every day.

Below are some photos adapted from the site:

Personal Response:
From the photos seen above, i am sure that all our hearts do go out to all these innocent and helpless kids. We can clearly see from these images that these kids are mostly toddlers or slightly older. From the pictures, we can also see that these leashes attached to them are no longer 1.5m and these limited range of leashes control the access of the kids. Shouldn't kids at this age be spending their time on playing toys and starting to pick up some basic words for communication purposes? However, these kids are not. They are spending their time in limited space, idling around and not doing anything much. Should they need anything, their needs might not be settled at the very first few minutes. As we know from the source, they are leashed to the windows 'for nearly 10 hours every day'.

For me as a reader, i can't help but wonder how meals are delivered to them every day when they are leashed for 'nearly 10 hours every day'. Questions like "Are they getting enough nutrients by living in such a confined area?", "Who will come to their rescue if they meet with danger?" and "What if they adopt these bad behaviours in the future and use it on others?" just run through my brains without stopping. I feel that the government of China should step in to do something to improve the situation and lives of these children. I feel that banning kids from being leashed should be implemented to prevent more kids from being leashed. Apart from that, to help the parents of such children to cope with the living difficulties, the government can heavily subsidize the cost of running infant care and child care. By subsidizing these child care centres, parents of these children can now worry less and focus on doing their respective job well because their children are now in good hands.

A question for all you guys to ponder upon: Are having more kids more important or taking good care of the kids more important nowadays?

Sheridin :)

Source: http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100507-214789.html



Personal Opinion:

With Newater, Singapore will be self-sufficient in water.

The need of Water is very important in our daily life.
Hence, I feel that it is very essential for evey Singaporean to do their part too, to conserve water as every drop of water counts.

- Chin Yin

Report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
Climate disasters are on the rise. Around 70 percent of disasters are now climate related – up from around 50 percent from two decades ago.
These disasters take a heavier human toll and come with a higher price tag. In the last decade, 2.4 billion people were affected by climate related disasters, compared to 1.7 billion in the previous decade. The cost of responding to disasters has risen tenfold between 1992 and 2008.
Destructive sudden heavy rains, intense tropical storms, repeated flooding and droughts are likely to increase, as will the vulnerability of local communities in the absence of strong concerted action.


Personal thoughts :
I think that its very important for us to do our part in saving the environment. It is the only planet that allows us to stay in and provide us food,water and air to live in. What if the globe is going to be destroy, will our home be destroy too. YES, definitely! Instead the rumors are spreading around that by the year of 2012, the world will be facing a very huge disaster (eg. tsunami, earthquake) and which it may even be the end of the world!

Hence we should not add on the pollutants in the world by using the 3Rs to guide us ( Recycle Reuse Reduce) , taking up Public Transportation instead of driving your own car, save up electricity by switching on the fan instead of air-condition/use light saving bulb or even stop smoking(good for your own health too) in order to stop the globe's temperature from rising up rapidly.

Well, will the year of 2012 be true or false information? It will depends on how much effort you have put in to save the world.

Yanling

Man stabs eight people to death in China

Sun, May 09, 2010
AFP

Source: http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20100509-215062.html


BEIJING - A man stabbed to death eight people, including three family members, in eastern China, state media quoted police as saying Sunday, the latest in a spate of attacks that have shocked the nation.

The suspect Zhou Yezhong killed his mother, wife, daughter, four neighbours and one migrant worker with a knife at about 6:00 pm Saturday (1000 GMT) in Chengyuan village, Badu Township, in Jiangxi province, Xinhua news agency said.

He was caught at about 7:50 pm by police and an investigation is under way.


Cities around China have taken preventative measures following a series of attacks on children.

On April 30, a farmer armed with a hammer injured five children and a teacher at a primary school in the eastern province of Shandong before setting himself on fire.

A day earlier, a jobless man apparently angry over a series of personal and professional setbacks slashed 29 children and three adults at a kindergarten in the eastern city of Taixing.

That attack came a day after a 33-year-old teacher placed on sick leave for mental problems injured 15 students and a teacher in a knife attack at a primary school in southern China's Guangdong province.

And on the same day, authorities in Fujian province in the southeast executed a former doctor for stabbing to death eight children and injuring five others in March in a fit of rage after he broke up with his girlfriend.

The attacks underscore how China -- which has enjoyed lower violent crime rates than the West -- faces a growing public safety threat from disgruntled individuals amid rising mental illness rates and looser social controls.

Studies have cited a rise in mental disorders, some linked to stress as society becomes more fast-paced and old communist-era supports were scrapped.

A study last year estimated that 173 million adults in China have some type of mental disorder -- 91 percent of whom had never received professional help.


How i feel:

After reading this article, i feel terrible. It saddens me to know that innocent people in other parts of the world are killed and worse, in civilised places such as - school. I also feel relieved that i live in a country with a stricter security system. I think the man who stabbed to death eight people, including three family members must have some mental illness/disorder. Normal people wouldn't have the guts to stab their own mankind, needless to say, their loved ones? Their flesh and blood? Their own children? Therefore, i think that the man should not be blamed. Even if the man is perfectly healthy, there must be some internal reasons or conflicts that cause the rashness of this man to murder his kins.

As for other cases such as the jobless man, he has no right to harm kindergarten children just because of some personal setbacks. And for the case of the former doctor who stabbed eight children to death and injured five others, he deserves to be executed. We understand that he had every right to break down after he broke up with his girlfriend, but not to the extend of hurting others.

I feel bitter and heartbroken for the family members of the innocent deaths and think that people with mental disorder should be brought to seek professional help before they start harming people.


Still editing,
KAHMIN.