'GELEK KING' COLLAPSES, UNDERGOES SURGERY
-----------------------------------------
SINGAPORE - Local football legend Dollah Kassim was rushed to
hospital last night after collapsing during the curtain raiser of the
Sultan of Selangor's Cup at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The 60-year-old former Singapore international is warded at Tan Tock
Seng Hospital (TTSH), where he is understood to have undergone
emergency surgery last night.
At press time, he was said to be unconscious but in a stable condition.
One of the most-loved players to have worn the No 10 shirt for
Singapore, the man known as the "Gelek King" because of his dribbling
skills famously won the Malaysia Cup for Singapore in 1977 after
beating Penang 3-2.
Last night, Dollah played the first 10 minutes of the match between
Singapore veterans and their Selangor counterparts. He looked
uncomfortable on the pitch and collapsed on the sidelines after being
substituted.
The veterans' game ended 1-1 at full-time, with Singapore winning 4-1
on penalties.
The doctor at the scene said it was a "cardiac event", according to
sources. Paramedics had to resuscitate Dollah at the pitch side and
in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
He arrived at TTSH at 7.20pm and was sent to the Invasive Cardiac Laboratory.
At about 10pm, former Singapore international Ho Kwang Hock, a friend
of the family, revealed that he was out of surgery and in a stable
condition, but had yet to regain consciousness. He is in the
Intensive Care Unit.
Dollah's son and daughter, who are both in their 20s, were
understandably distraught.
Dollah is not the first veteran footballer to have collapsed during a match.
In August 2003, Ali Bakar, 56, died of heart failure during a
friendly between Singaporean and Malaysian ex-internationals in the
Sultan's Gold Cup at Tampines Stadium.
In May 2006, former Singapore international S Rajagopal, who was in
his 50s, suffered a mild heart attack during a Singapore Veterans
versus Selangor Veterans match at the National Stadium. He was on the
pitch for 5 minutes when he collapsed, complaining of breathlessness.
The Football Association of Singapore said in a statement that "all
the players in the Singapore Veterans team who reported for the game
were well and were eagerly looking forward to the game".
Monday, October 5, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Racial Classification in Singapore
TODAY 21 July 2009
95 RACES IN S'PORE
------------------
Besides the four main ones, there are 91 other race classifications for Singaporeans, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. Other than Chinese (78 per cent), Malays (14 per cent), Indians (7 per cent), the remaining 1 per cent are mostly Eurasians and Arabs.In a written answer to MP Irene Ng's queries, Mr Wong clarified that while the "general rule is that a person's race follows that of his or her father", it can be registered differently if parentage is mixed - "a child of Chinese and European descent can be registered as Chinese, European or Eurasian".In the NRIC registration process, "a declaration by the parents will be accepted so long as it falls within normally accepted notions of ethnicity by lineage", he said.
95 RACES IN S'PORE
------------------
Besides the four main ones, there are 91 other race classifications for Singaporeans, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. Other than Chinese (78 per cent), Malays (14 per cent), Indians (7 per cent), the remaining 1 per cent are mostly Eurasians and Arabs.In a written answer to MP Irene Ng's queries, Mr Wong clarified that while the "general rule is that a person's race follows that of his or her father", it can be registered differently if parentage is mixed - "a child of Chinese and European descent can be registered as Chinese, European or Eurasian".In the NRIC registration process, "a declaration by the parents will be accepted so long as it falls within normally accepted notions of ethnicity by lineage", he said.
Holiday in Borneo: Day 5 (Niah Caves)
Well, this was supposed to be the highlight of our trip; a visit to the Niah Caves, located in the Niah National Park.
The World Heritage site is about an hours drive from Miri town. If you are renting a car for this trip, take the coastal road (starting from the Miri Marriott or Brighton Beach or Taman Selera beach/recreational park) because it is less twisty than the alternative, which is trunk road between Miri and Bintulu. The coastal road took us 1hr 10mins legally, while it took us 2hrs to drive back from Niah to Miri on the trunk road slowed down by many lorries and buses.
Once at the Niah park hq, you will buy tickets and head towards the cave. Wait, even before you start, you have to pass a checkpoint gate, where you must rent their flashlights (5RM each), if you didn't bring any. And then, past the checkpoint, you might be surprised to find that you have to take a ferry ride just to get started!!!
Just to cross a 5m/15ft river, you get on a small motorized boat, and pay the boatman 1RM per person each way. I guess building a bridge is not feasible?
Once on the other side, you will see very clearly signposted trails. We were headed to the most famous caves, the painted caves, which was 4.1km from this sign.
Then entire trail is on an elevated wooden path. Convenient.
Finally, after about 3km, you will reach the mountain.
After a short climb, we reached the trader's cave.
These wooden structures represent where houses were built.
Nice limestone formations...
Further along, we reach the "great cave". This is a huge cave, and after this point, the trail goes entirely into darkness. Hence, the flashlights.
Behind the fence is on-going archeological work...
Up, down, up, down, in total darkness...
Ainsley asked why it was raining inside the cave. I just said "yes, it rains." I didn't tell him what the "Rain" was ... until later...
There were a few places to take a break...before pushing on to the painted caves.
More fences, but these are to protect the wall paintings. You see, you could be so close that some idiots might just try to touch the 40,000 yr old paintings, or choose to add to them...
Here's one which my zoom could capture...
There are actually two major areas where there are paintings. However, the second (further away) site was closed because there was apparently some major dig going on...
And then the reality sunk in...there is only one way out, the same way...
So it was on the walk back that something happened. While in the pure darkness, something "jumped" at Ainsley from the floor and then hit me as well.
He asked: "What was that?"
I said: "Lizard."
He said: "A hairy lizard???"
I finally told him: "Ok, that's a bat."
He said: "Felt like a dog, furry."
And I explained that the rain was probably bat droppings. Whoopee...
There are other places to visit in the Niah national park, including some peaks and a small waterfall. But this 10m trek was enough for us.
Overall, how would I rate the Niah Caves as a tourism or historical site?
I would say nice, but underwhelming. Somehow, lacking that WOW factor. As caves, it pales beside those at Halong Bay in Vietnam...or even the Batu Caves near KL...but I guess the draw was the painted caves. Still, I am not sure about whether I would say this is a MUST SEE place before you die...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Holiday in Borneo: Day 4 part two (Kinabalu-Miri)
We touched down in Miri and headed to our hotel, the Marriott. A bit old, but nice.
Room
Lobby
Best part? the Pool!
Room
Lobby
Best part? the Pool!
Holiday in Borneo: Day 4 part one (Kinabalu-Miri)
Day 4 was a "short" day. We only had a bit of the morning, before we had to fly from KK to Miri.
So we visited the "botanical gardens" of KK, known as Tun Stephens Fuad Park.
There's a small water theme park inside the park itself, but we didn't fancy it in the short time we were there.
So we just took a short walk around the lake/reservoir. Reminded us a lot of MacRitchie!
At the entrance of the park, there are a whole group of restaurants. Must be quite lively at night.
Anyhow, we didn't have much time. So off we went to the airport, and to Miri.
So we visited the "botanical gardens" of KK, known as Tun Stephens Fuad Park.
There's a small water theme park inside the park itself, but we didn't fancy it in the short time we were there.
So we just took a short walk around the lake/reservoir. Reminded us a lot of MacRitchie!
At the entrance of the park, there are a whole group of restaurants. Must be quite lively at night.
Anyhow, we didn't have much time. So off we went to the airport, and to Miri.
Friday, July 17, 2009
what is "discrimination"?
THIS IS TOO FUNNY.
THIS IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF AN EMAIL "DISCUSSION" ON THE SUBJECT OF "DISCRIMINATION" AMONGST NUS FACULTY.
JUST NOTE THAT ALL NAMES WERE REMOVED BY ME.
---------------------------------
(1) From XYZ's message, the notice seems to be "No access for contractors Fine $500" This essentially prohibits contractors, but not the workers from using the toilet. I am surprised that the contractors want to prohibit themselves from using public toilets. Perhaps what they mean to say is "No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500" "
(2) If the NUS/FASS administration does not permit contractors to put up the sign ""No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500", they would not be able to do so. So I assume that the contractions have the implicit permission of NUS/FASS administration.
(3) Any discrimination against the underprivileged can be justified on the basis of statements like "They are dirty, "They are not quite human", "They are not rational", "They have no aptitude for science and math", and so on. The folks who denied voting privileges to women and (as XYZ points out) didn't want blacks to dirty their buses and pools had their reasons. They believed that women are not equal to men in their intellectual capacity, and that blacks were not quite human.
(4) Assume for the moment foreign workers do dirty the toilets. Assume also that Singaporeans from low income groups also dirty toilets. (This may not be an unreasonable assumption.) Would that justify movie house owners putting up notices like "No access for people whose annual income is below $5000. Fine $500" , with the provision for separate dirty toilets for the low income groups?
(5) A prohibition like ""No access for females. Fine $500" in the NUS toilets would indeed be discriminatory if if turns out that (a) women's toilets, unlike men's toilets, are cleaned only once a week, and (b) women prefer using men's toilets while men do not want to use women's toilets (For the purposes of this point, I incorrectly assume that men do not want to peep.) But if men's toilets do not have any special privileges, and the majority of women want separate toilets, I don't see why having separate women's toilets is discriminatory. And if we do allow separate women's toilets, and a significant number of men are embarassed (rather than thrilled) by having women around when they pee, I don't see why having separate men's toilets is discriminatory either.
ABC
-----Original Message-----
From: REMOVED
Sent: Fri 7/17/2009 5:49 PM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Hey XYZ don't get your jockeys in a knot. I am sympathetic to your call. Just pointing out that the contractor has a practical reason for the sign, and that the sign is not put up by NUS. Plus, that there are issues of discrimination that are then likewise open for attack. I would be all in favour for making toilets unisex for instance.
Of course, foreign worker discrimination is so rampant that this instance appears to be one too.
Cheers, 123.
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:42 PM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Dear 123,
The blacks have their swimming pools and seats at the back of public buses too.
Best,
XYZ
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 17:39
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Hi REMOVED,
Such signs have been there as long as I can remember (I've been in NUS 7 years now) when there is any contracting work done. I was shocked initially as well, until I realized that the workers have their own toilet cabins nearby, and that the sign is put up by the contractor because they don't want to make the toilets dirty with mud, wet concrete, and paint etc.
Of course it's 'discrimination', but likewise, having male-only or female-only toilets is effectively also discrimination, no?
Cheers, 123.
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:21 PM
To: REMOVED
Dear REMOVED,
My colleague XYZ has forwarded the message below to me and like him, I feel very disgusted. We should take this matter very seriously and send someone to remove the notice IMMEDIATELY. Then we should issue a warning to the people who put up the notice.
Best
REMOVED
_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:00 PM
To: REMOVED
Subject: FW: Against Discrimination
FYI
______________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 12:42
To: XYZ
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Thanks XYZ for your feedback.
It is likely that the notices are put up by the main Contractor or its sub-contractors. I understand that the workers have their own designated toilet. It could be the case that the contractors/sub-contractors wish to limit the boundaries of their operations, so that they do not have to spend too much time in cleaning up or clearing up the sites daily. Or it could be part of their agreements not to dirty the surrounding place with mud from their boots, or concerns of liability issues related to cleanliness etc.
Our faculty does not put up such notices. I will ask my colleague, REMOVED to convey your concerns to the Project Manager from Office of Estate & Development (OED).
Best Regards,
REMOVED
_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:46 AM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: Against Discrimination
Dear REMOVED,
I read with disbelief, if not horror, of two notices posted at the entrance of the male toilet (AS1-03-MALE2) outside LT9 in two languages. The notices say that:
"No access for contractors Fine $500" or in Chinese "???? ?????? ????$500.00 "
I am not sure whether are these notices posted by our faculty. If so, I do have a few questions:
1, Is it legal to bar any group of people to use the toilet?
2, Is there really a legal basis that empower us to fine them?
Legal questions aside, we are after all the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. We, of all people, should know that no form of discrimination should be tolerated, and this should be one of the core values that we teach our students.
I can imagine some of the logistic reasons for banning the contractors/workers from using the toilet, but I am sure there are other more humane ways of dealing with it then this convenient ban.
If the notices are not posted by our faculty, we should let whoever that is responsible for that know that discrimination is not tolerated here!
The same notices are also posted outside AS1-01-MALE, and I have no idea at how many more places.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Yours,
XYZ
THIS IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF AN EMAIL "DISCUSSION" ON THE SUBJECT OF "DISCRIMINATION" AMONGST NUS FACULTY.
JUST NOTE THAT ALL NAMES WERE REMOVED BY ME.
---------------------------------
(1) From XYZ's message, the notice seems to be "No access for contractors Fine $500" This essentially prohibits contractors, but not the workers from using the toilet. I am surprised that the contractors want to prohibit themselves from using public toilets. Perhaps what they mean to say is "No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500" "
(2) If the NUS/FASS administration does not permit contractors to put up the sign ""No access for foreign contract workers Fine $500", they would not be able to do so. So I assume that the contractions have the implicit permission of NUS/FASS administration.
(3) Any discrimination against the underprivileged can be justified on the basis of statements like "They are dirty, "They are not quite human", "They are not rational", "They have no aptitude for science and math", and so on. The folks who denied voting privileges to women and (as XYZ points out) didn't want blacks to dirty their buses and pools had their reasons. They believed that women are not equal to men in their intellectual capacity, and that blacks were not quite human.
(4) Assume for the moment foreign workers do dirty the toilets. Assume also that Singaporeans from low income groups also dirty toilets. (This may not be an unreasonable assumption.) Would that justify movie house owners putting up notices like "No access for people whose annual income is below $5000. Fine $500" , with the provision for separate dirty toilets for the low income groups?
(5) A prohibition like ""No access for females. Fine $500" in the NUS toilets would indeed be discriminatory if if turns out that (a) women's toilets, unlike men's toilets, are cleaned only once a week, and (b) women prefer using men's toilets while men do not want to use women's toilets (For the purposes of this point, I incorrectly assume that men do not want to peep.) But if men's toilets do not have any special privileges, and the majority of women want separate toilets, I don't see why having separate women's toilets is discriminatory. And if we do allow separate women's toilets, and a significant number of men are embarassed (rather than thrilled) by having women around when they pee, I don't see why having separate men's toilets is discriminatory either.
ABC
-----Original Message-----
From: REMOVED
Sent: Fri 7/17/2009 5:49 PM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Hey XYZ don't get your jockeys in a knot. I am sympathetic to your call. Just pointing out that the contractor has a practical reason for the sign, and that the sign is not put up by NUS. Plus, that there are issues of discrimination that are then likewise open for attack. I would be all in favour for making toilets unisex for instance.
Of course, foreign worker discrimination is so rampant that this instance appears to be one too.
Cheers, 123.
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:42 PM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Dear 123,
The blacks have their swimming pools and seats at the back of public buses too.
Best,
XYZ
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 17:39
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Hi REMOVED,
Such signs have been there as long as I can remember (I've been in NUS 7 years now) when there is any contracting work done. I was shocked initially as well, until I realized that the workers have their own toilet cabins nearby, and that the sign is put up by the contractor because they don't want to make the toilets dirty with mud, wet concrete, and paint etc.
Of course it's 'discrimination', but likewise, having male-only or female-only toilets is effectively also discrimination, no?
Cheers, 123.
_____________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:21 PM
To: REMOVED
Dear REMOVED,
My colleague XYZ has forwarded the message below to me and like him, I feel very disgusted. We should take this matter very seriously and send someone to remove the notice IMMEDIATELY. Then we should issue a warning to the people who put up the notice.
Best
REMOVED
_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 5:00 PM
To: REMOVED
Subject: FW: Against Discrimination
FYI
______________________________________________
From: REMOVED
Sent: 2009?7?17? 12:42
To: XYZ
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: RE: Against Discrimination
Thanks XYZ for your feedback.
It is likely that the notices are put up by the main Contractor or its sub-contractors. I understand that the workers have their own designated toilet. It could be the case that the contractors/sub-contractors wish to limit the boundaries of their operations, so that they do not have to spend too much time in cleaning up or clearing up the sites daily. Or it could be part of their agreements not to dirty the surrounding place with mud from their boots, or concerns of liability issues related to cleanliness etc.
Our faculty does not put up such notices. I will ask my colleague, REMOVED to convey your concerns to the Project Manager from Office of Estate & Development (OED).
Best Regards,
REMOVED
_____________________________________________
From: XYZ
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:46 AM
To: REMOVED
Cc: REMOVED
Subject: Against Discrimination
Dear REMOVED,
I read with disbelief, if not horror, of two notices posted at the entrance of the male toilet (AS1-03-MALE2) outside LT9 in two languages. The notices say that:
"No access for contractors Fine $500" or in Chinese "???? ?????? ????$500.00 "
I am not sure whether are these notices posted by our faculty. If so, I do have a few questions:
1, Is it legal to bar any group of people to use the toilet?
2, Is there really a legal basis that empower us to fine them?
Legal questions aside, we are after all the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. We, of all people, should know that no form of discrimination should be tolerated, and this should be one of the core values that we teach our students.
I can imagine some of the logistic reasons for banning the contractors/workers from using the toilet, but I am sure there are other more humane ways of dealing with it then this convenient ban.
If the notices are not posted by our faculty, we should let whoever that is responsible for that know that discrimination is not tolerated here!
The same notices are also posted outside AS1-01-MALE, and I have no idea at how many more places.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Yours,
XYZ
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Latin Big Band fever
I don't know why, but I'm feeling nostalgaic about an era i never knew about...
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