Man slashed at Yishun, 3 teens arrested

SINGAPORE

The victim suffered injuries to his head and arms, and was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Police said that they received a call about the incident at 5.50pm.

Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened at the void deck of Block 362, Yishun Ring Road.

The suspects are 13, 15 and 18 years old.

According to witnesses, the victim staggered past several blocks — leaving a trail of blood — before seeking help from a resident living on the second floor of Block 343.

The resident told Media–Corp: “He came up here all the way ... I asked: What happened?

He said, ‘Somebody chopped my hand’.”

Other residents said the victim was not alone when he was attacked.

The police said that they are investigating.

The case has been classified under Section 324 of the Penal Code, that is voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon or means.

The latest incident comes after two high-profile cases of gang attacks, including the slashing at Downtown East of 19-yearold Darren Ng on Oct 30.

Mr Ng died from his injuries after being admitted to hospital. The other incident happened at Bukit Panjang housing estate. — A 23-year-old man was slashed at Yishun Ring Road yesterday, with witnesses claiming that the victim was attacked by some youth.Patwant Singh

去年11万公共医院病人 不愿接受爱之病检验

（2010-12-05）

Qantas pilots ‘may have saved the day’

landing weight, the computer eventually concluded it would stop with just 100m of runway to spare at Changi Airport, the report said.

The crew opted to land instead of dumping fuel, which would further upset the plane’s balance.

As the plane prepared to land, it lost many of its systems which controlled pitch, speed and braking — so the pilots asked the cabin crew to prepare for an emergency evacuation as they risked a runway overrun, it said.

The Airbus stopped with just 150m of concrete left, brakes heated to 900°C and four blown tyres.

It was also gushing fuel and one of its engines refused to shut down for over two hours, until fire crews drowned it with foam.

Pilots eventually decided against evacuation and kept passengers on the plane for another hour as fire crews secured the A380. Reuters

Qantas pilots may have saved the day, say investigators

SYDNEY

And it was a passenger — an off-duty Qantas pilot — who first alerted the crew by pointing out that a tail-mounted camera showed “some form of fluid leak from the left wing”. The pictures were shown on the jet’s in-flight entertainment screens.

On Friday, about a month after the dramatic landing at Singapore’s Changi Airport, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released its preliminary findings, which revealed that the plane may have been so badly damaged that the five pilots, with a combined 72,000 hours of flying experience, may have saved the day.

According to data retrieved by investigators, the first sign of trouble occurred barely four minutes after the plane carrying 469 people took off from Changi Airport on a clear day.

Climbing to 5,300 feet, the oil pressure in one of the plane’s engines began to drop. Within 30 seconds, engine vibrations increased. Roughly 10 seconds after that, sensors showed the engine overheating and the turbine disc failing.

As the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine blew apart over Batam, fragments ripped though parts of the wing, puncturing fuel, hydraulic and electronic systems and leaving the plane with limited flight controls.

There were so many warnings, it took pilots 50 minutes just to complete the required responses before they could prepare the plane for landing.

The number of errors was such that computers calculating landing data could not handle them all. Pilots removed some options, hoping that would still be enough to make an accurate call.

With the plane coming in at about 50 tonnes heavier than its maximum— Pilots of a crippled Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo struggled with more than a dozen system errors after an engine blew apart on Nov 4, and landed the plane in Singapore with barely much runway to spare, an Australian investigation revealed.

Hold bus services to higher standards

Let’s also employ more technology, set up high-level task force to effect real improvement

Richard Hartung

Everything seems fine with the buses here, according to the Public Transport Council (PTC). SBS Transit “complied with all the standards,” the PTC said in October, while SMRT has only “been fined for three failures” for late departures in the six months until May.

THE TECH IS OUT THERE

Another step would be to leverage leading edge technology fully. In the United States, University of California Professor Alex Bayen’s research group is merging radar, lidar, detectors embedded in roads and video with input from GPS devices to “detect patterns and build a prediction engine”.

One initiative in Sydney, according to the New South Wales Auditor-General, is a real time bus monitoring system that “can also provide traffic light priority for late running buses”. While technology is used here, too, bus companies still have staff standing at bus stops monitoring bus arrivals with a watch and paper!

Steps like changing bus priority realtime, using better prediction models for scheduling and using technology to help enforce bus priority in bus lanes could result in higher service levels. While usage of some of this technology may already be in the pipeline here, employing more of it and communicating the results could also be beneficial.

Improving bus transport is important for reducing commute times, raising productivity and increasing usage of public transportation, among other reasons. Despite efforts to do better, Land Transport Authority data until 2008 showed that bus commuting times had remained static at about 42 minutes for a decade. Even though it turns out that SMRT is a member of the International Bus Benchmarking Group that shares global best bus practices, data still indicates that arrival times and other results lag best-in-class standards.

Actually solving the problems may take more focus than what has been the case so far.

For example, the situation in Singapore may be serious enough to warrant an independent and high-level task force to develop and implement strategies that lead to real improvement. Setting and achieving higher standards as well as taking steps to leverage technology even better could also make a big difference.

There are a multitude of other opportunities.

Public transport here has the potential to be world-class and improvements will benefit productivity as well as commuter satisfaction levels.

The critical next step is to make the change happen.

The writer is a consultant who has lived in Singapore since 1992.

Tell that to commuters, though, and you may hear far different accounts as their stories come gushing out.

One commuter I know taking Service 75 during peak hours in mid-October, for example, waited for 20 minutes one day and then had two buses arrive together as soon as he reached the bus stop the next morning. It is an experience commonly echoed by many.

Another commuter I spoke to compares bus drivers’ stop-and-go driving techniques to the rides hurtling people around at Universal Studios. More stories like these abound.

With over three million passenger trips on buses every day, the impact of small delays or other problems is huge. Not unexpectedly, the Singapore Management University’s 2010 Q2 Customer Satisfaction Index found that “customer satisfaction scores for both the Mass Rapid Transit Systems and the public buses sub-sectors have been declining since 2007”.

So what can be done?

Several steps could make commuting by bus better.

For one, Singapore could start using best practices. Research last year by Imperial College’s Mark Trompet, for example, showed that New York set a standard where buses must arrive within three minutes after their scheduled arrival time and buses in Paris must arrive within two minutes. Where schedules in Singapore do exist, he said, buses are supposed to arrive within five minutes before or after their scheduled time.

That 10-minute window can cause dissatisfaction, or worse. As research by University of Arizona Professor Ryan Johnson mentions, a “bus-bunching phenomenon has frustrated passengers in cities around the world”. Other research cited by Mr Trompet showed that bus arrival irregularity “discourages commuters’ use of public transit”.

If we’re going to get people to ride the bus and like it, moving to the levels of New York or Paris could help. While the PTC does measure 11 standards, tracking others like “regularity” or “customer satisfaction” as is done in Sydney and setting higher targets such as arriving within three minutes of the scheduled time — rather than “at least 80 per cent of bus services to operate at headway (frequencies) of not more than 10 minutes during weekday (excluding public holidays) peak periods” — could lead to higher service levels.

AVA puts trans fat plan on hold

Details of mandatory limit are not finalised

Lynda Hong

lyndahong@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE —

The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) had initially planned to limit the amount of trans fat in locally sold fats and oil products, such as butter, margarine, shortening and cooking oil, to no more than two per cent. But MediaCorp has learnt that this has been postponed.

When contacted, an AVA spokesperson said: “Details of the trans fat requirements are still under review and have yet to be finalised.”

An AVA circular dated March 9 had notified of two phases of implementation.

By June 1, bakeries, eating and catering establishments were to use less than two grammes of trans fat for every 100g of fats and oils. By Dec 1, this would apply to retail-pack fats and oils. Labelling of trans fat as part of nutrition information was part of the plan.

For now, the Health Promotion Board said it is working with other relevant government agencies to implement regulatory measures to control trans fat in Singapore’s food supply.

Countries such as Denmark and Switzerland have already introduced laws to regulate trans fat consumption, after studies have linked it significantly to an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

The World Health Organisation recommends that trans fat intake not exceed one per cent of total calories. And the National Nutrition Survey 2004 showed that Singaporeans aged 18 to 69 consumed about one per cent of trans fat in their daily energy intake.

Of worry, though, is the rising trend of Singaporeans eating out, said nutritionist Petrina Lim.

“With dietary practices reporting that 49.3 per cent of adult Singaporeans have their meals at hawker centres six times or more a week, this will undoubtedly contribute towards dietary intakes of trans fat,” she said.

Trans fat is widely used in fast-food preparation because they enhance flavour.

When asked about the impact of a mandatory trans fat limit, however, Mc-Donald’s Restaurants communications director Linda Ming said it already uses vegetable oil with 0.5 per cent of trans fat.

KFC and Burger King had not replied by press time.

Other companies whom MediaCorp contacted also said that meeting a twoper-cent trans fat limit should not pose great difficulty.

Food manufacturer Lam Soon Singapore has only one or two products such as shortening which do not meet the requirement, said senior marketing manager Sulina Tsai.

“We’ll get our R&D to lower trans fat content to the two-per-cent requirement while maintaining shelf stability, but that shouldn’t be too difficult,” she said.

A mandatory trans fat limit is likely to incur costs, though. Trans fat content will have to be verified by an accredited lab, said Ms Tsai, who estimates the cost to be about $200 to $300 per product.

Nestle said trans fat labelling may also bring about additional cost, “as some labels may have to be customised for the Singapore market only”.

Ultimately, consumers should be responsible for what they eat, said nutritionist Ms Lim. “Even if requirements are put up, without explaining why, it makes no sense to consumers,” she said.

As work continues to limit the intake of trans fat, the HPB advised consumers to check ingredients in nutrition labels and to refrain from food products with terms such as “vegetable shortening”, “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil”.A national initiative to reduce Singaporeans’ intake of trans fat, which can cause heart disease and is commonly found in fast food, baked and fried items, has taken a backseat for now.

It can detect even very low concentrations of odorous chemicals, even when instruments are not able to measure (them). That’s why sometimes smell complaints are received, but we are unable to establish what the source of the smell is.

NEA ’s Director-General of Environmental Protection Joseph Hui

NEA still unsure of origins of that foul smell

Ho Yeen Nie

yeennie@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

However, its findings show that the smell could be from the open burning of materials, or due to incomplete combustion from a “large fuel-burning plant”.

It did not uncover any possible sources within Singapore. The NEA has alerted its Malaysian counterparts. It said it is waiting for their response, and will follow up if necessary.

On Nov 29, residents in the north-east of the island, including Punggol, Sengkang and Ang Mo Kio, had complained about a foul odour similar to insecticide.

A thick smoke also hung over some estates.

The NEA said it sent officers down to the affected areas as soon as possible, but the rain had dissipated some of the smell and smoke.

The officers managed to pick up low levels of petroleum-based hydrocarbons with their instruments but no harmful or toxic chemicals were detected. The NEA also said the smell was not harmful to health.

Director-General of Environmental Protection at NEA Joseph Hui said the agency receives complaints of bad smells from time to time.

“The human nose is a very sensitive organ. It can detect even very low concentrations of odorous chemicals, even when instruments are not able to measure at that low concentration. So that’s why sometimes smell complaints are received, but we are unable to establish what the source of the smell is.”

The NEA said it has written to its counterpart in Malaysia about whether it has detected anything similar in Johor but MediaCorp understands that no such complaints were received.

Patches of oil were seen near two fish farms off Pulau Ubin on Nov 30. The NEA put it down to a coincidence, stating that there was too little oil to have generated the smell. Neither did it explain the smoke.— The National Environment Agency (NEA) says that its investigations into the foul smell detected on Monday have been inconclusive.

Junk food in the line of fire

Hoe Yeen Nie

yeennie@mediacorp.com.sg

According to the latest national health survey — which is done once every six years — 11.3 per cent of adults aged between 18 and 69 years are diabetic, compared to 8.2 per cent in 2004 and 9 per cent in 1998.

The good news, though, is that high cholesterol and hypertension rates have gone down. The hypertension rate has dropped to 23.5 per cent this year from 26.8 per cent in 2004, while that for high cholesterol has fallen to 17.4 per cent from 19.1 per cent over the same period.

It was clear the country’s rising obesity rate — based on the same survey but revealed by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) earlier this month — was not far from Mr Khaw’s mind as he spoke at the National Health Award on Friday.

Mr Khaw reiterated that “obesity and development are not Siamese twins”.

“The Japanese and the Koreans have remained slim. Their obesity prevalence at 4 per cent ... is less than half of ours. We must understand their approach and see if it can be adopted here,” said Mr Khaw.

The Health Minister added that one way to reverse the rising obesity rate was to roll out guidelines to protect children against indiscriminate advertising of unhealthy food and drinks — something that the HPB has said it will be doing.

Some countries such as Sweden and the United Kingdom have imposed outright bans on junk food advertising on television channels and programmes targeted at children. Malaysia has banned fast-food firms from sponsoring TV shows for children or advertising on children’s programmes.

However, the bans have reportedly not succeeded in bringing down obesity rates.

Dr Nancy Tan, a paediatrician with SBCC Baby and Child Clinic, noted that often, a child picks up eating habits from his or her family.

Many of her obese patients also have overweight family membersSINGAPORE — Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has backed the impending introduction of guidelines on junk food advertising — as latest statistics on Friday showed the rate of diabetes here has risen to a 12-year high.

Are teachers screened too?

Letter from Gurmit Singh Kullar

While it is understandable a fugitive would turn to his family for refuge, it is positively shocking that Mas Selamat received the most help from a trainee teacher. This revelation has perhaps shaken our trust in those who are expected to inculcate positive values of nation-building and identity in our children.

Subversive ideologies can be sown in the young, who would later have no qualms about participating in terrorist activities.

Nur Aini Asmom could have had ample opportunity to express her views to the young and impressionable. It is now crucial that the authorities ascertain her motivations and figure out why she would help someone determined to ruin this country.

But is she just one bad apple?

Nur Aini’s involvement also raises questions about how teachers are screened before being allowed into the profession.

How stringent are the background checks, and is there a continual assessment of the psychological well-being of our teachers?

Are there checks to ensure teachers are themselves not straying?

The real issue here ...

Letter from Quek Soo Beng

The revelations about Mas Selamat’s escape evoke more distress and disbelief than disappointmentwrong but not totally unexpected.. What his relatives did was

The crime merely affirms that “blood is thicker than water”, a fact which has nothing to do with race or religion. Linking these two issues only distracts from the real issues — I am sure most Singaporeans, of all races and religions, understand this to be a matter of national security, period.

I read with disbelief that the negligence leading to Mas Selamat’s escape from detention was apparently followed by the failure to take urgent appropriate action that could have resulted in his early recapture.

When the extensive field search failed to yield results on the first day, the immediate and most fundamental move must be to second-guess where he would go to seek refuge and help. This must surely include surveillance of the likely places and the robust interrogation of suspected allies.

Mas Selamat might have hundreds of likely contacts, but a lesser number of probable ones. Heading the priority list must surely be those with Jemaah Islamiyah links and close family members with compelling reasons to help him.

Lack of manpower to do the needful to re-capture the country’s most dangerous enemy is not an acceptable excuse.

Even if surveillance is difficult, keeping an eye on an HDB flat is not exactly rocket science — access is limited to one front door.

Given that the full story behind Mas Selamat’s escape is still to be ascertained, how can the authorities be sure family members were not part of his JI support network, and that the wrong-doers are truly repentant?

Will the jail terms of between three and 18 months send a dangerous message to terrorists at large?

Singapore looks to the authorities to act with full disclosure as the dust settles further, and to demonstrate that our national security and crisis management are in competent and accountable hands.

MHA to consider extra police powers to manage teen gangs

MHA to consider extra police powers to manage teen gangs

 

 

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Home Affairs Ministry is studying whether the police require additional powers to intervene early, in dealing with teen gangs.

Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Tuesday told Parliament that the intent is to go "upstream" and disrupt even the formation of loose gang associations.

Some examples of such powers could include issuing directives to at—risk youths to abide by curfew hours and issuing directives to attend intervention programmes.

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ALL  TEENS  must  not  gather  in  group of more than 2 and must be home before 7:00pm

nO  smoking  and  no  long  hair  allowed

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Mr Shanmugam acknowledged there has been understandable public concern over recent reported gang violence.

He stressed that the police take a serious view of such violence.

Other than the people arrested in relation to the Downtown East and Bukit Panjang incidents, police have rounded up 93 suspected gang members since end—October 2010.

Police will continue their island—wide sweep.

Overall crime rates have fallen in the last five years and the rates for crimes against persons and violent property crimes in particular, have also remained low and stable over the past five years.

Hence, Mr Shanmugam felt the need to assess the current situation with the right perspective.

The minister emphasised that the two recent cases do not suggest that Singapore’s crime situation is worsening or that the country’s policing efforts are not adequate.

Singapore continues to be one of the cities with the lowest crime rates in the world.

At the same time, the number of rioting cases is not going up.

In fact, it has been coming down steadily.

Between 2005 and 2009, rioting cases fell from 489 cases to 283 cases.

Between January and September this year, there were 214 rioting cases.

Cases with secret society connotations have also generally decreased says the Mr Shanmugam.

He added there is also an equal need to invest in preventive and rehabilitative efforts for at—risk youths and youth offenders.

The National Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation Committee coordinates preventive and rehabilitative programmes to tackle youth delinquency.

One of the activities is the Streetwise Programme to help youths disassociate from gangs.

Mr Shanmugam said the rehabilitative efforts have seen encouraging results.

Of the 229 youths who completed the Streetwise Programme from 2005 to 2008, less than 10 per cent of them have re—offended within one year of completing the programme.

More will be done with the new Central Youth Guidance Office (CYGO) set up in July this year.

It coordinates inter—agency efforts to tackle youth delinquency and is studying solutions to enhance outreach to at—risk youths and coordinate intervention services.

—CNA/wk

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It  sEEms  aUthOrItIes  are  nOt  prOactIve    ? ? ? ?

always  waItIng  fOr  tragedIes  tO  happen and  thEn  react    ? ? ? ?

 

THE NEW YORK TIMES

The writer is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.