雅加达酒店爆炸 狮城女逃过一劫

雅加达今天清早发生骇人的爆炸案，导致严重的人命伤亡。

酒店一片狼藉，满地碎玻璃片。更多新闻详情，请翻阅今天的《新明日报》。

新 加坡籍女郎到雅加达公干，入住丽嘉登酒店(Ritz-Carlton)，今早临离开前竟遇上大爆炸，仓皇逃出酒店外，侥幸逃过一劫！位于印尼雅加达的丽嘉 登酒店和万豪酒店（Marriott），今天清早发生骇人的爆炸案，导致严重的人命伤亡，也对酒店造成极大的破坏，令人不禁想起2003年发生的万豪酒店 爆炸案。　　

据《新明日报》探知，爆炸案发生前，一名30来岁的新加坡籍女郎欧小姐，就住在丽嘉登酒店的16楼。欧小姐在一家跨国公司工作，被派驻到曼谷的分公 司。她昨天在一名泰国籍女同事的陪同下，由曼谷飞往雅加达开会。另一名在新加坡分公司的女同事陈小姐，也前去雅加达和她们会合。　　

陈小姐昨晚回国后，今早7时15分左右，就接到欧小姐的电话，指居住的酒店发生了爆炸案。据陈小姐所，洪小姐起身准备到楼下吃早餐时，怎料竟从16楼的客房听见楼下传来两声爆炸巨响。接着，酒店内的警铃就大声响起，她便慌忙跑到楼下。　　

更多新闻内容，请翻阅今天的《新明日报》。

New batch of NMPs appointed by President

All nine NMPs will take their oaths of allegiance in the House on Monday.

EIGHT Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) were appointed yesterday.

They received their Instruments of Appointment from President S R Nathan at a ceremony at the Istana, witnessed by their family members.

The ninth NMP, businessman Teo Siong Seng, 54, is away on a business mission in Guangdong, China.

But Mr Teo, who is president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he will be back in time for Monday's Parliament sitting.

All nine, who are new to Parliament, will take their oaths of allegiance in the House on Monday. They will serve a 2 1/2-year term.

They include former national swimmer Joscelin Yeo, 30, an executive at New Creation Church's youth ministry; fashion and media entrepreneur Calvin Cheng, 33; and artistic co-director of contemporary arts centre The Substation, Audrey Wong, 41.

Also in the new batch of NMPs are consultancy-firm boss and Singapore Indian Development Association vice-president Viswa Sadasivan, 49; veteran labour unionist Terry Lee, 57; National University of Singapore faculty vice-dean and sociology academic Paulin Tay Straughan, 46; Presbyterian Community Services executive director Laurence Wee, 63; and Ernst & Young Advisory managing director Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei, 50.

The term of service of the outgoing batch of nine NMPs expires today.

On July 6, an eight-member select committee of MPs chaired by Speaker Abdullah Tarmugi nominated the new group to President Nathan to be appointed as NMPs. The nine names had been whittled down from a list of 43 eligible candidates nominated by different fields and professions, as well as by members of the public.

The NMPs will attend a briefing in Parliament today, where they will be informed of parliamentary procedures.

But they are not likely to speak at next week's sitting, as Parliament rules state that they have to notify the House of any issues or questions they want to raise seven days before a sitting.

It's about time, say MRT passengers

RULE BREAKERS: Commuters have been spotted eating a variety of food on trains. An SMRT officer (right bottom) on Wednesday caught an errant passenger.

They give thumbs up to SMRT blitz on errant commuters but they also want more to be done

EVEN as commuters applaud the move by the SMRT to clamp down on inconsiderate train commuters, many are eager for more to be done.

In a two-hour blitz on Wednesday, SMRT went after commuters who ate and drank on the trains, and served eight passengers with a Notification of Offences, which meant they would have to pay a fine to the Land Transport Authority.

Each could be fined up to $500. The number of inconsiderate commuters caught has been rising since 2006 from 276 to 550 in 2007, to 595 last year.

To drive home the message that it means business, SMRT will deploy 500 employees on roving duty on trains to look out for commuters who eat or drink.

And, as long as such inconsiderate behaviour persists, the company will not let up on its efforts to stamp it out.

Yesterday, Mr Raymond Tan, 29, a sales manager, was all praise for the officers but added that there were other issues that the SMRT should look into as well.

"Ungracious behaviour will be a more difficult issue to tackle. Despite public campaigns, there are many who just turn a blind eye and hog seats meant for the elderly or those who are pregnant. That's just plain rude, but I know it's not something which one can deal with by imposing fines or punishment," he said.

For months, Stompers have groused, criticised and lambasted inconsiderate MRT commuters who eat and drink on trains, engage in public displays of affection or ignore commuters who need seats more than they do.

Miss Geraldine Lim, a 20-year-old student, believed that citizen journalism has spurred SMRT to take stricter measures against offenders.

She told my paper: "Stompers act as another pair of eyes for the public and even government bodies. Whatever these people have captured on their cameras, be it public displays of affection or commuters eating on trains, could be useful."

She added: "The many pictures of commuters eating and drinking on trains must have made SMRT see the gravity of the situation."

Student Suffian Hakim, 23, said: "Finally, the chances of seeing cheese or chilli on the train floor will be slimmer. I guess the sign that warns commuters that they'd be fined $500 is not enough, so it's good that SMRT is stepping up its efforts."

Another commuter, Miss Vivien Chong, 32, an administrative manager, said she hoped that the days of the ugly train commuter would be over.

"What the SMRT officers do is a good start. But what matters more is that we learn to be more considerate to others. What does it say about us if, day in, day out, commuters continue to hog the seats meant for those who need them more?" she said.

Handphone videos capture violent attacks by schoolgirls

TWO countries, two teenage girls, two attacks captured on video.

One of these videos was eventually posted online, where it was discovered by the victim's elder sister.

The footage was taken on a handphone camera at a mosque in Terengganu, Malaysia.

There are conflicting reports about the incident.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported that two 13-year-old girls were beaten up by a group of schoolgirls.

Azani Juasharmiela Mohd Jaaffar and her friend were allegedly forced to get on motorcycles ridden by three of their schoolmates and taken to a mosque.

There, they were reportedly beaten up for 30 minutes while one of the attackers filmed them on her handphone.

The Star, on the other hand, reported the incident as a case of teen jealousy.

Azani Juasharmiela was allegedly scratched on the face by her best friend because the latter was jealous that she was getting many compliments on her good looks.

A classmate recorded the fight on her handphone.

While the details differed, both newspapers reported that the video was posted online.

It was discovered by Azani Juasharmiela's 23-year-old sister, Ms Azani Juhaiza.

The younger girl had tried to keep the incident a secret, but told all after being confronted by her older sister.

The victim said she was traumatised by the incident.

The sisters lodged a report at the Kuala Terengganu police headquarters on Sunday morning.

In Hong Kong, an unrelated and more serious attack was also recorded with a handphone camera.

In May, a group of schoolgirls allegedly stripped and abused a classmate.

The incident was captured in a handphone video and sent to the rest of the class.

The Sun reported that the 12-year-old victim was beaten by nine other girls aged 11 to 13.

They allegedly stripped her naked, stuck hard objects into her private parts and burned her hands with cigarette butts.

The victim's family learned of the incident and made a police report. The case is under investigation.

$6,000 for hard-to-find subject teachers

SOME senior teachers are cynically calling it a 'hardship grant' - paid to newbies to study and teach subjects for which there is a short supply of teachers.

Officially, it is known as a 'study grant'. But it's not for all who're studying to become teachers.

The scheme, launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE), is to reward only new teachers who have opted to study and teach certain subjects in secondary schools and junior colleges.

The subjects facing a shortage of teachers were not revealed by the ministry.

The one-time grant is a tidy sum of $6,000, that several new teachers have started to enjoy barely months into their careers.

Does it smack of the type of sign-on fee used in the private sector?

A ministry spokesman told The New Paper that teachers getting the grant are those who have been selected and assigned curriculum subjects in disciplines where there is a greater need for teachers.

Said the spokesman: 'This grant is similar to the $6,000 study grant under the MOE Teaching Award, which is open to A-Level and polytechnic graduates, as well as local undergraduates who are pursuing a local degree in a teaching subject.'

Only the cream of the crop will be selected for the study grant.

The spokesman added that the grant is open to teaching applicants who have already graduated or are graduating from university.

'These are outstanding candidates who would have been eligible for the MOE Teaching Awards had they applied for them earlier,' she said.

The ministry did not disclose how much has been disbursed so far.

A history teacher, who recently started work at a junior college, told The New Paper that he would receive the grant in two stages.

We are not naming the teachers as they need prior approval from their principals to speak with the press.

The first half, he said, was paid two months after he signed with MOE, and the rest will be paid after he finishes his one-year National Institute of Education course.

He said he was not aware of the grant when he signed up to become a teacher.

'I only found out about the bonus when I accepted the job offer - it wasn't something that was publicised,' he said.

He added that he was aware that the grant was being offered only to teachers of certain subjects.

'When I was applying to become a teacher, MOE was actively recruiting history and economics teachers. I assumed we were getting the grant because there was a shortage of teachers for these subjects.'

'Pleasant surprise'

Another teacher, who received the grant, said it came as a 'pleasant surprise' but that it did not figure in her decision to join the teaching force.

She said: 'The money is not that important. In the long term, you still have to be committed to the job for the right reasons.'

Some experienced teachers, however, are speaking out against it.

A teacher, who has been teaching history in a JC for 15 years, said she was concerned that offering a monetary reward for signing up as a teacher would attract the 'wrong type' of applicants.

She said: 'I believe teaching is a noble profession; teachers should have the right kind of values. Any reward should only be given for work that has been done. It should not be used as a carrot.'

She added, however, that she was not surprised that the grant was being offered.

'Losing battle'

'We're fighting a losing battle here. It's a new world, and the job market is such that people job-hop a lot more now. Perhaps you do need to offer a monetary reward if you want people to stay.'

Another teacher with more than 20years of experience added that offering a grant could attract candidates who do not consider teaching their first-choice job.

He said: 'It's fair to reward a teacher for good performance, but a job-seeker should not be applying only for the money.'

He added that older teachers, handling subjects facing a short supply of teachers, should also be compensated for their hard work. This was only fair, he said.

As one senior teacher, who has been teaching English and history for more than 20 years in a neighbourhood school, put it:

'I believe that we taught the subjects because we were competent in them. We loved the subjects and we cared for our pupils just as much as the new teachers do.

'I do not think that it is right to offer monetary benefits to attract teachers to this profession. Worse still, it is a signal to us, that teaching, say, English or the humanities, is a hardship that deserves extra compensation.'

But not all were against the move.

A school head of department for over a decade felt that the MOE was trying to attract the numbers now to make it easier for those in the profession.

She said: 'I think we would all have a lighter workload if there were more teachers. When I look at the science and maths teachers in my school, and how they can break up into smaller classes because they have the numbers, I am rather envious.

'In the end, it is the students who will benefit from these measures and that is what education is about.'

2-day concert to raise funds for Charmaine

IF soccer veterans could do their bit in raising funds for a cancer-stricken child, then why not the music industry?

That was the thought that raced through Mr Friz AB's mind when he first read about four-year-old Charmaine Lim's battle with stage-four cancer.

The little girl was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a kind of cancer that usually occurs in the adrenal glands of infants and children, in February.

While her chances of survival are a slim 20 per cent if treated locally, this could be significantly raised to as much as 50 per cent with a potentially life-saving treatment available only in New York.

The cost: A prohibitive $500,000. It is a sum that Charmaine's mum, Ms Cynthia Lim, 29, can hardly afford. Ms Lim had to quit her project management job at a water treatment plant to take care of her daughter.

Touched by the little girl's story, Mr Friz was keen to help.

He was particularly inspired to hear how former football stars like Fandi Ahmad and Rafi Ali reunited last month to play a charity match that raised $70,000 for her treatment.

So the ex-radio presenter, who had several music contacts, mooted the idea of a fund-raising concert by posting a note on social networking site Facebook late last month.

Within 10 days, that idea turned to reality on 10 Jul. With the help of various friends and acquaintances who volunteered their time, they managed to confirm the talent line-up and settled on the concert venue.

While the half-a-million target for Charmaine's treatment had been reached earlier this month, thanks to numerous Singaporeans who donated, the fund-raising show will go on.

That's because, as Mr Friz reckons, the family is certain to incur other living and medical expenses in New York, where they will stay for about six months.

Twelve local acts are slated to perform at the charity event, 'Saving Charmaine-Live Your Life 2009' concert at Zouk on 25 Jul (5 to 9pm) and 26 Jul (6pm to 10pm).

The feat is all the more noteworthy considering that the two-day event, which could have cost as much as $40,000 to organise, is run on zero budget and plenty of goodwill.

Local bands like The Great Spy Experiment, Goodfellas, West Grand Boulevard, The Sallys and Voodoo Drums, play at no cost, while the venue is sponsored by Zouk.

Academy of Rock, a music learning centre, is also sponsoring the event's publicity materials.

Said Mr Friz: 'It's passion more than anything else. Everyone's helping because they can and want to.'

Mr Mohd Haris, 20, a member of the 11-man strong percussion group Vodoo Drums said: 'We read about Charmaine (through a link) on Facebook, so we were keen to help.

'Besides, it's good for the soul to help.'

Mr Friz hopes to raise $50,000 for Charmaine through the event. Tickets are at $17 each and can be booked at www.tdc.sg.

Mess wasn't from sewerage pipe

A CLOGGED, leaking kitchen pipe created a mess in Basement 1 of Tampines Mall on Friday.

MESS NO MORE: The floors of Tampines Mall's Basement 1 are now clean after kitchen waste water apparently leaked from a pipe on Friday. TNP PICTURE: GAVIN FOO

Tenants and workers had initially thought the brownish liquid was from a leaking sewerage pipe.

But a CapitaLand retail spokesman has since clarified that it was actually kitchen waste water that had leaked through the pipes and cracks of the basement flooring.

Said the spokesman: 'This happens when tenants do not dispose of their food waste products properly.

'That is when they just pour all their waste (which includes solid food waste products) directly down the sink.

'This in turn will build up and cause certain pipes to clog up.'

Security guards alerted the management when they noticed the liquid spreading across the floor.

The spokesman said: 'All 18 cleaners were then mobilised to clean up the area at about 9.40am.'

A contractor was then asked to use special equipment to clear up the choked area.

The entire basement was also disinfected thoroughly, said the spokesman.

Not the first time

Following the incident, the mall's contractor is now carrying out thorough checks and flushing all kitchen waste pipes.

In April, another waste water pipe was clogged and had leaked onto another part of Basement 1.

Like most malls, maintenance of the pipes is carried out once every three months.

But, the spokesman added, if tenants do not dispose of their food waste products properly, leakage might occur again.

'Thus, we are also working closely with our tenants to educate them on the good habits of utensils washing and food waste disposal, and carrying out regular inspection to ensure that strainers are in place in their sinks at all times to trap waste solids.'

The mall may also replace the waste pipes if the contractor finds them faulty. The pipes are about four years old.

Said BreadTalk manager Frankie Tan, 35: 'The liquid started to flow out of the drain pipe at about 9.30am last Friday.

'At first I thought it was just a problem with my store. But I walked to the other stores and I realised they all had the same problem.'

He added that the cleaners worked quickly and by 1pm, the mess was cleared up.