April 04, 2016 6:40 PM
The first step for treating mental illness, is to determine whether or not a patient has one.
Maid alleges male employer made her go on all fours and kicked her on buttocks
SINGAPORE – A former Myanmar maid told a court on Monday (April 4) that her male employer made her and another maid go on all fours and then kicked them on their buttocks.
Ms Moe Moe Than, 27, unemployed, said this happened after both she and Indonesian domestic worker Fitriyah, now 36, had denied folding a small piece of paper belonging to his daughter.
She said the paper, which seemed to be very important, was folded in. Both maids were asked by IT manager Tay Wee Kiat who folded it, but neither of them said they did it.
He then made them go on all fours and kicked them.
“I fell on the floor. I hit the glass panel. She (Fitriyah) also fell on the glass panel and on the floor. I was in pain,” she said through a Myanmar interpreter.
She also told the court that Tay, 38, made the two of them slap each other 10 times and to “worship” infront of the altar when they were both Christians.
The reason: Tay discovered that the cloth covering the statues on the altar table had been moved and questioned them.
She said she and the other maid did what was told as they were afraid that they would not be given food to eat.
The court heard that Ms Than began working for the household in Yishun in December 2011. In October 2012, her female employer, Chia Yun Ling, 41, sent her to the airport after telling her that she was taking her to the police station.
She said she did not know why she was being sent to the airport. Chia also told her not to talk to anyone at the airport.
Two months later, she returned to Singapore. She she wanted to “report” the employers, and that she did not want others to go through what she had gone through.
She was picked up by her maid agent who referred her to the Ministry of Manpower. She was then taken to a shelter.
Tay, who faces a total of 23 charges, has claimed trial to 12 proceeded charges. Two of these relate to allegedly offering to pay Ms Fitriyah her full salary and send her home if she did not report him; and for allegedly abetting her to give false information to the police in December 2012.
The other charges accuse him of assaulting Ms Fitriyah with a cane or bamboo stick, instructing her to stand on a stool while holding another stool above her head and forcing a plastic bottle into her mouth, pulling her out of the car causing her to fall, making her do push-ups and kicking her.
The alleged offences happened between February 2011 and December 2012.
Chia, a sales manager, is being tried on two charges of hurting Ms Fitriyah by slapping her twice in June 2012, and punching her on the forehead three times on Dec 7, 2012.
Earlier, Ms Than said her employer restricted her to drinking and going to the toilet to ease herself three times a day.
“If I did not follow the instructions, they would ask me to jump like a rabbit,” she said.
Objecting, the couple’s lawyer Wee Pan Lee said Ms Than was not a victim in any of the charges that the court was proceeding. He said the evidence was “prejudicial” to the defence and asked that the evidence be struck out.
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said the evidence would have to be treated very carefully. He took note of counsel’s objection and said he would not attach any weight to that piece of evidence.
If convicted, the couple could be jailed for up to three years and fined $7,500 per causing hurt charge.
This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
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Indonesian maid falls while fleeing employer’s flat via rubbish chute
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The Straits Times, The New Paper
Abused maid says employer used metal hanger, rod to hit her
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The New Paper, Ei Phyu Tun
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Perceptions towards public transport quality, affordability have improved: Govt poll
SINGAPORE – Commuters’ perceptions towards the quality and affordability of the public transport system here have improved, according to a poll by the Government’s feedback unit, Reach.
To gauge public sentiment on key public transport issues, Reach conducted a telephone poll from Feb 29 to March 4 with 1,200 randomly selected Singapore residents aged 15 and above.
Overall, 80 per cent of them agreed that Singapore has a good public transport system, up from 74 per cent last year. 66 per cent agreed that public transport in Singapore is generally affordable, up from 63 per cent last year.
On bus services, 37 per cent felt that wait time has improved compared to a year ago, while 10 per cent said it is longer. 29 per cent felt that it is less crowded on buses while 20 per cent felt it is now more crowded.
About six in 10 respondents said they were confident that the Government’s efforts will help improve the reliability of train services.
Also, half of all the respondents are supportive of moving towards lower car ownership in Singapore.
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Safety council urges urgent review in view of a spike in workplace deaths
April 04, 2016 6:07 PM
SINGAPORE – The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council has urged companies here to review their WSH procedures and take immediate action to ensure that safety measures are in place.
Drugs in EPL?
Swimming, tennis, athletics and many other sports have all come under scrutiny recently for dope related allegations.
Now, add football – the most beautiful game of all – and worse still in, arguably, the top league in the…
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Taxi driver in hit-and-run says he didn't stop as 'passenger was rushing'
An 11-year-old boy was injured in a hit-and-run accident involving a taxi at Teck Whye Lane on Friday (Apr 1).
Stomp contributor Benitha’s brother-in-law was involved in the accident. She said after her family members and her tracked down the taxi driver, he was apparently ‘not remorseful’.
She recounted: “It was a broad daylight at about 11.50am. My brother-in-law, who is only 11 years old, was crossing the road without any pedestrian crossing at Teck Whye Lane near CCK Polyclinic.
“My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were waiting for a taxi on the opposite side of the road where the incident took place.
“That’s when my mother-in-law heard a big loud bang and to her horror, she saw her own son hit and flung three metres away by a taxi.”
According to her, after realising that his mother and sister had hailed a cab, he crossed the road to meet them.
Benitha added that the boy checked if there were any oncoming vehicles first before crossing the road. After he saw that there weren’t any cars, he crossed the road and the taxi then came at a fast speed and hit him.
“My sister-in-law ran to the taxi and asked the taxi driver to answer for his actions but without any second thought for the small kid who was lying on the road, he drove off immediately with a passenger inside.
“Another taxi driver from Comfort helped my mother-in-law and injured brother-in-law into his cab and managed to bring him to KKH.”
The Stomp contributor and her husband rushed down to the hospital. They took down the taxi number and called the police. They also called the taxi company to look for the driver.
She added: “The taxi driver’s explanation was not even buy-able..the explanation which the taxi driver gave was that his passenger was rushing and asked him to drive off.
“They (taxi company) didn’t even give us a proper answer about the state my 11-year-old brother-in-law is in.
“Now he has an injury on his head and cast on his right leg and is not walking around properly due to muscle injury on the left side of his body.
“It has been four days and the taxi driver did not have the courtesy to call up and ask or even come down to visit my brother-in-law.
“The taxi driver’s negligent act has caused both my mother-in-law and her 11-year-old child to have sleepless nights.”
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Upcoming pop-up events
The Naked Finn
Block 39 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks
April 2 (11am-5pm)
A year ago, seafood restaurant The Naked Finn moved from its little shack at 41 Malan Road (which now houses the bar Nekkid) to a full-fledged restaurant just down the street, and this Saturday, it celebrates its first anniversary with a mini farmers’ market.
Some of the products on sale will include locally-farmed barramundi from Kuhlbarra, line-caught coho salmon and lingcod from Alaska imported by The Naked Finn, coffee from Birdy’s Brew, honey from Cerana Honey, and sauces from Mekhala Living. They will also be handing out recipes created using raw ingredients from the market, such as a steamed barramundi using a filet from Kuhlbarra, and two sauces from Mekhala Living.
Open Farm Community Social
Market #4
130E Minden Road
April 2-3 (10am-4pm daily)
A trip to the market at Open Farm Community doesn’t necessarily just mean filling your bag with edibles for the week, it could easily involve a whole day’s activities. For instance, you could participate in one of their yoga classes, bring a picnic basket to lay out on the lawn, or grab a bite from the gourmet food truck – Kerbside Gourmet.
Some of the products on sale include live oysters from Sea Farmers at Ubin, cold-pressed juices with Chinese herbs from Flashjuice, handmade soy and beeswax candles from Candles Of Light, and organic skincare from FrankSkincare.
W.E. x Togetherly
435 Orchard Road
(Isetan, Level 1, Wisma Atria)
April 20 to June 30 (11am-9.30pm daily)
This semi-permanent pop-up by Workshop Element (W.E.) and Togetherly promises to add some indie flair to Orchard Road. The 12,000 sq ft space at Wisma Atria holds over 50 vendors and labels.
Expect quirky finds such as knitted accessories from It Takes Balls, leather pieces from Forest Child, and handmade accessories by Curious Creatures.
As with other Togetherly events, visitors are encouraged to participate in the book exchange, so bring a tome, wrap it at the booth and leave a note for the next reader.
Local musicians such as Jill-Marie Thomas and Victoria Ho will be performing on weekends, and watch out for air plant workshops by Crafted Identity among other programmes.
Retro Factory’s Vintage Flea Market
315 Tanjong Katong Road (Reservation at Vicki’s)
Early May
If you’re a fan of the older things in life, wander down to the Retro Factory’s vintage flea market on Tanjong Katong Road on the first weekend of May. Instead of the usual iPhone cases or handpainted canvases, you’ll find a little slice of history.
The market will feature around 20 vendors hawking vintage cameras, typewriters and gramophones. If shopping isn’t your thing, dance along to jazzy tunes played by guest DJs or sway along with local swing dancers from Dapper & Dames Vintage.
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Monday, April 4, 2016 – 17:28
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Football: Neymar open to 'dream' PSG move
Paris – Brazilian superstar Neymar could join Paris Saint Germain, if the French giants pay his huge 193 million euros (S$298 million) get out clause, his agent said Monday.
“Neymar has a contract with Barca until 2018,” Wayne Ribeiro told French sports daily L’Equipe.
“But the prospect of living in a city like Paris, and to play for a club like PSG is also a dream for every player.
“That’s to say if PSG showed interest in Neymar we could talk about it.” PSG have dominated Ligue 1 since the Qatari takeover of the French capital club in 2011.
Laurent Blanc’s men wrapped up their fourth successive league title in record time in March, and face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
And with talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic, courted by some of Europe’s top clubs, in possibly his last season in France, PSG have reportedly identified Neymar as their number one target before the new season starts in August.
Ribeiro added: “A contract can also be dissolved on condition of paying the release clause. It’s huge – 193 million euros.
“But I don’t think that would be an insurmountable problem for PSG.”
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Vietnam seizes Chinese oil tanker: State media
Hanoi – Vietnam’s coast guard has seized a Chinese oil tanker which it claims intruded into Vietnamese waters, state media said Monday, the latest episode in a festering territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
The Qiong Yangpu was carrying 100,000 litres of oil, the official Vietnam News Agency said, adding that it was captured Thursday and impounded in the northern port of Hai Phong.
The three-man crew was handed over to police, the report said.
“It was spotted and seized by Hai Phong coast guards… 12 nautical miles from the marine delineation line in the Tonkin Gulf to the northwest of Vietnam’s Bach Long Vi island,” the report said.
Police, military, and coast guard officials in Hai Phong declined comment Monday.
According to the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper, the tanker was selling oil to Chinese fishing boats in the area.
“The captain, however, failed to present relevant documents to prove the origin of the oil, while his two crew members have no operating licence,” Tuoi Tre said.
Vietnam and neighbouring China have longstanding territorial disputes over the Spratly and Paracel Islands, and often trade diplomatic barbs over oil exploration and fishing rights in the South China Sea.
Vietnam regularly chases Chinese fishing vessels out of waters it claims, but it is rare for authorities to hold a boat and its crew.
In recent years China has begun aggressively patrolling near the contested islands and Vietnamese officials accuse it of imposing fishing bans and using patrol boats to keep foreign trawlers out.
Hanoi says hundreds of its fishing boat crews have been arrested by Chinese authorities over the last few years.
Beijing has occupied the Paracels, known as Xisha in Chinese, since a brief war with South Vietnam in 1974.
It also claims the Spratlys, as do – in whole or in part – Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei as well as Vietnam.
Beijing claims as its historical territory virtually all of the South China Sea, which is believed to sit atop huge oil and gas reserves.
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