- B E R I T A _ H A R I _ I N I _ 2 0 0 8 -

skgerl

Originally posted by fatz2 at 14-3-2008 01:01 AM
March 13, 2008         
Venture Corp CEO's wife charged with causing hurt to SIA stewardess
By Elena Chan

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20080313/ST832813201_01_0001m.jpg
Tan Siew ...

apa kes ni nak sepak pompan stewardess? anyone has ideas what that was about........?

skgerl

Originally posted by fatz2 at 14-3-2008 03:56 AM

No offence...tapi rambut dia mcm wig eh

miezarra_27

Shell, Caltex and Esso raise pump prices again

PUMP prices have risen again.

Petrol at Shell, Caltex and Esso stations rose by four centres a litre while diesel rose by five cents a litre.
Before a discount,
the 92-octane grade is at $2.053 a litre, 95 at $2.086 and 98 at $2.16.
Diesel is now at $1.613 a litre.
Shell's V-Power has risen by 3 cents to $2.279.

This is the second time in a month, with the previous hike on March 3.

Overall, this is the eighth consecutive hike since July last year.


kena fikir berkali2 nak pakai kereta sekarang... harga petrol mahal giler...!!! :@

[ Last edited by  miezarra_27 at 18-3-2008 12:37 PM ]

miezarra_27

bengang betul mamat ni..!!! tak de benda lain nak buat display...!!??? :@

miezarra_27

LTA eases taxi CBD rules

FROM today, taxis are allowed to pick up and drop off passengers from side roads in the Central Business District which are not served by public buses, the Land Transport Authority announced on Monday.

But the CBD rule for taxis remains for trunk roads where public buses run.

LTA said it has fine-tuned the rule, following complaints and feedback from commuters, cabbies and other road users that it has caused pratical operational difficulties for drivers and misunderstandings and unpleasant incidents between them and their passengers.

In introducing the new rule on March 1, which made it compulsory for taxis to pick up and drop off passengers only at taxi stands and driveways of buildings between 7am to 10pm from Mondays to Saturdays, LTA said safety was the principal reason.

Sudden stopping and haphazard lane changes by taxis along heavily used roads to pick up or alight passengers pose a danger to passengers and other road users, it explained.

Furthermore, with more bus lanes, taxi drivers will find it increasingly difficult to stop along the roads in the CBD, making it also harder for passengers to hail a taxi along the road. Taxi drivers who flout the rule can be fined $100 and given three demerit points.

But commuters and taxi drivers have complained that it has resulted in much inconvenience. Elderly and disabled passengers, as well as tourists with heavy luggage, say they find it difficult to walk to a taxi stand.

LTA's chief executive Yam Ah Mee on Monday told a media briefing that the LTA has taken into consideration feedback from the public, as well as from taxi associations, and decided to adjust the rule to minimise inconvenience to passengers, business and taxi drivers.

'The principal consideration for this rule is safety. This remains our key priority. We, together with the Taxi Operators? Associations and taxi companies, have considered very carefully the feedback from passengers, businesses and taxi drivers, and LTA has decided to allow taxis to pick up and drop off passengers from side roads,' he said.

'Our risk assessment is that roads with the highest risks are the roads where public buses ply. This adjustment balances safety concerns with the need to minimise inconvenience to commuters.'
To make it easier for passengers to find a taxi stand, the LTA said it will add ten more to the existing 105 in the CBD by the end of March. It will also put up more prominent directional signs to guide them to the nearest taxi stands.

Maps showing the location of taxi stands in the CBD area will also be distributed to hotels and commercial buildings to make it easier for commuters to locate the nearest taxi stand. These maps will also be included in the public transport information guide for tourists.

So far, 469 taxi drivers have received warning advisories from the LTA for flouting the rule. The LTA said the rule will be enforced against errant drivers from May 1.

Mr Foo Chi Yong, President of Premier Taxi Operators' Association, welcomed the easing of the rule. 'I am relieved to note that the authorities have exercised flexibility in enforcing the new policy during the initial period. We hope to receive the support and understanding from the public so that they can help us as drivers to adjust to the new ruling,' he said.

Added Mr Yang Ban Seng, CEO of ComfortDelgro's Taxi Business: 'We are heartened by LTA's receptiveness to industry feedback. The proposed tweaks to the system will help ease the problems that our drivers have experienced on the ground. We will continue to work closely with the LTA and our associations to monitor the situation on the ground.'

Mr Lee Wai Mun, Chief Executive Officer of the Automobile Association of Singapore, also hailed the change.

He said: 'The CBD rule for taxis, in placing safety high on the list of priorities, is the correct approach to take. AAS is happy that the adjustments, while making it more convenient for taxi commuters, retain the need to make our roads safe for the motorists.'

Mr Nah Tua Bah, President of Comfort Taxi Operators' Association, said cabbies are happy that their views and concerns had been considered.

'We believe these changes will still meet our objective to ensure safety and improve convenience for passengers and motorists. As with all changes, it will require some time for adjustment and we seek the understanding of all commuters, businesses, and taxi drivers,' added Mr Yam.

[ Last edited by  miezarra_27 at 18-3-2008 01:58 PM ]

sutera_abadi

Kes cemburu...
not sure sama ada stewardess tu senyum ngan suami dia atau the other way round....
so dia tak puas hati.... tu yg stewardess to kena serang...

Originally posted by skgerl at 14-3-2008 09:42 AM



apa kes ni nak sepak pompan stewardess? anyone has ideas what that was about........?

sutera_abadi

Muda lagi rupanya mamat ni... baru 23 tahun....

Originally posted by fatz2 at 14-3-2008 03:56 AM
Man fined $6,000 for importing air rifle
By Elena Chong

Muhammed Azlan Amat Ali (above) pleaded guilty
to the offen ...

miezarra_27

berani stewardess tu senyum kat hubby dia...
tengok muka dia...!! fuyoooooohhhh... SERAM..!!!
garang betul....!!!

fatz

March 18, 2008         
S'porean drug mule who 'swallowed 91 heroin packs', jailed in Brisbane

A SINGAPOREAN man who swallowed more than A$500,000 worth of heroin and then tried to smuggle it into Australia, was jailed five years by a court in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Ng Teck Boon, 40, had 91 packets of heroin in his stomach when he was arrested at Brisbane International Airport on June 27 last year, The the Supreme Court in Brisbane was told.

He pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, according to a report carried on news.com.au.

Commonwealth prosecutor Paul Huygens told the court that Ng had arrived on a flight from Hong Kong and was grilled by Customs officers after looking 'nervous'.

He quickly admitted to having swallowed a large amount of heroin before boarding the flight.

He was arrested by Australian Federal Police and spent two days in hospital while he passed out all the packages, said the online report.

The court was told Ng had swallowed almost 500g of powder, and that the pure weight of the heroin was 286 gm. The drugs had an estimated street value of A$572,000.

Defence barrister Simon Lewis said Ng had agreed to courier the drugs to Australia out of desperation for money.

Mr Lewis told the court his client had travelled to Hong Kong in search of work but had been lured into becoming a mule with the promise of a US$5,000 payment.

He was given just US$400 and a mobile phone before leaving for Australia, and told immigration officials the purpose of his trip was for a holiday.

The five-year jail term is with no parole.

fatz

Four injured in Senoko road accident
By Jessica Yeo, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 March 2008 0131 hrs

SINGAPORE : Four people, including a pregnant woman in her 30s, were injured in an accident on Tuesday evening.

Also injured were a toddler and two passengers.

The accident involved a car and a lorry at the junction of Senoko Drive and Senoko Crescent.

The injured were all passengers on the lorry and were conveyed to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Police are investigating. - CNA/de

*****************************************
March 18, 2008         
Penang Rd crash trial: Driver passed 2nd breathalyser test
By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
THE motorist accused of ploughing his car into a bus stop at Penang Road failed one breath alcohol test at the scene but cleared another about an hour later.

Despite that, Wong Heng Chiang, 28, was still charged with drink driving.

A district court heard that the senior account executive had initially failed the test at 9.45pm, not long after the accident on May 1 last year.

Wong, who claimed trial to eight charges, is alleged to have driven dangerously at a fast speed, knocked into a right road kerb before swerving three lanes across and mounting the pavement of the bus stop where at least seven commuters were waiting.

His car then hit the metal bus service notice board, two stone seats and four bus commuters.

According to the first police officer at the scene, Sergeant Ismail Saheeb Mohd Zulkarnin, Wong's face was flushed, eyes bloodshot and he was smelling of alcohol.

Another witness, Miss Toh Tong Qian, 20, a beautician, who suffered a broken left ankle, earlier testified that Wong smelt of alcohol when he was talking to her.

When asked by the officer, Wong admitted that he had had three glasses of wine before the accident.

When a hand-held breath test was done and the result showed 'failed', Sgt Ismail Saheeb contacted Traffic operations room about it.

Wong was taken to the Traffic Police for another breathalyser.

This time, he passed.

But he is still accused of being unfit to drive as he had allegedly drunk to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of his vehicle.

Whether a motorist is charged under this limb of drink driving will depend on the evidence. If there is an accident resulting from the motorist being incapable of having proper control of his vehicle, he can be charged even though his alcoholic level is below the legal limit.

A person whose alcoholic content exceeds the prescribed limit will be charged with drink driving.

The punishment for drink driving is a fine of $1,000 to $3,000 or up to six months jail in the case of a first offender, plus at least 12 months' disqualification.

Hearing continues on Wednesday.

fatz

SIA flies A380 to London on first commercial flight to Europe


The A380, as tall as a seven-storey building, can seat more than 800 passengers in
an all-economy class configuration -- PHOTO: AFP

LONDON - THE world's biggest passenger plane, Airbus's A380, touches down in London on Tuesday on its first commercial flight to Europe facing questions from green groups over its eco-friendly billing.

The Singapore Airlines jet, as tall as a seven-storey building and with about 50 per cent more cabin space than its rivals, was carrying 449 passengers enjoying increased legroom and state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment.

Airbus said the superjumbo is 'a significant step towards greener flying' but campaigners are less enthusiastic, warning the environmental benefits of the high capacity plane will be outweighed by rising demand for air travel.

Flight SQ308 took off from Changi airport in Singapore at 9.19 am on Tuesday and was scheduled to arrive in London just before 3 pm after more than 13 hours in the sky.

Passengers boarding the plane spoke of their excitement, particularly over the super-luxury comforts available to those who can afford what Singapore Airlines brands 'a class beyond first'.

This features 12 suites with full-length beds behind sliding doors, sheets by French designer Givenchy and flat-screen televisions.

'I am looking forward to the suites,' said Briton Bertuccio Ginomr, who owns a cosmetic business.

'This is my second time on the A380 and the suites are awesome.'

Ms Isabelle Chu, an Australian travel agency boss, paid 2,800 Singapore dollars for a return trip in economy class and has been on several inaugural flights on new routes with Singapore Airlines.

'I would describe it as an expensive hobby but it is better than buying an LV bag,' Ms Chu said, referring to the luxury Louis Vuitton brand.

Airbus says that the A380 burns 17 per cent less fuel per seat than other big airliners and that this will reduce the carbon footprint of each passenger.

'The new aircraft...represents a significant step towards greener flying,' said Singapore Airlines' United Kingdom and Ireland general manager Marvin Tan.

But Richard Dyer, transport campaigner for British-based environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth, said that the plane should not be described as eco-friendly.

'The benefit of increasing plane capacity to accommodate more passengers will easily be outweighed by the rapid growth in flights,' he said.

'New technology alone will not solve aviation's impact on climate change.' John Stewart of HACAN Clear Skies, a lobby group for people living under the Heathrow flight path, acknowleged that the A380 would be cleaner and quieter than existing planes, but voiced doubts about its billing.

'I think that the impression is sometimes given by the manufacturers that it's going to be a quiet plane but it isn't, it's still going to be one of the noisy beasts of the sky,' he added.

He said airport authorities in Britain were 'wanting their cake and eating it' by wanting more air traffic when the increased capacity of the A380 could mean the same passenger levels on fewer jets.

Last week, Queen Elizabeth II opened a new, fifth terminal at Heathrow that will handle growing capacity at one of the world's busiest airports.

The airline will use the A380 on daily flights between London and Singapore from Tuesday.

The A380's first commercial flight was in October last year. Its development by Airbus was plagued by serious cost overruns and delivery delays of as much as two years. -- AFP

fatz

March 19, 2008         
More 'eyes' to watch the roads round the clock
LTA has put up 73 more junction cameras to keep traffic smooth
By Maria Almenoar



MORE 'eyes' are watching motorists on the roads - not to catch speedsters, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) swears, but to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

Last month, another 73 cameras went up, bringing the total to 273.

These unobtrusive grey objects are mounted on traffic lights and lamp posts at or near major traffic junctions.

Through these 'J-eyes', or Junction-eyes, a crew at LTA's Intelligent Transport Systems Centre in River Valley Road watches traffic conditions 24-7.

An alert is sent out to the appropriate authorities whenever there is trouble on the roads.

The centre's deputy director Quek Song Kim said: 'For example, if there is an accident, the Traffic Police are called in or if, for instance, there is a fallen tree branch, the National Parks Board is called in.'

In December, a motorcyclist travelling one morning along Cairnhill Road skidded and had a bad fall, he recalled.

The entire scene had unfolded before the eyes of the LTA officers manning the J-eyes.

The Traffic Police were alerted and traffic light timings adjusted to contain any traffic congestion along the road.

The cameras, which can pan 360 degrees horizontally and tilt up and down with a maximum zoom of 22times, can pick up an image 300m away.

First installed in 2002, J-eyes have helped the authorities respond quickly to incidents and keep traffic moving smoothly. This is why the Land Transport Review report in January recommended that more be added.

Without them, officers would have to be dispatched to the scene to check on incidents or wait for alerts from the public.

The cameras also allow updated information on traffic conditions to be sent to radio stations for broadcast.

The new cameras have been put up at junctions along Commonwealth Avenue, Queensway, Stamford Road, Bencoolen Street and Fort Canning Road, among others.

J-eyes are just part of a network of systems used by the LTA to help keep traffic moving smoothly. The job of weaving them together fell to ST Electronics (Info-Comm Systems).

The company won the most innovative partner prize for technology during the LTA's inaugural Land Transport Excellence Awards yesterday.

To encourage more such collaborations with local and overseas partners, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said that the LTA is launching a $50 million Land Transport Innovation Fund.

For more details on the fund, visit LTA's website at www. lta.gov.sg/ltif/index.htm

[email protected]

fatz

About one-third of Singapore F1 marshals are women
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 March 2008 2107 hrs



SINGAPORE: Formula One may be a male dominated sport, but interestingly almost one-third of those who signed up to be marshals for the Singapore race are women.

In fact, women make up 250 of the 900 marshals selected. Even at the senior official level, 10 of the 80 are female.

Lynn Tan, one of the senior officials, is an architect by profession. She has a passion for motor sports since young, so she jumped at the chance when Singapore won the rights to host its first F1 race.

The 30-year-old has already gone for two stints overseas, including the recent Australian Grand Prix - where she learned more than just the nuts and bolts of the job.

"(What) I have also learned from the Australians is the team spirit. (That is)... what keeps them coming back as volunteers year after year. It's not just the sport but also the people. You know, they have made friends of 10, 20 years, that's what keeps them coming back," she said.

While in Australia, Ms Tan saw quite a few women marshals.

She said besides being physically and mentally demanding, the marshals have to clock in 12-hour shifts.

While Singapore is building its core group of marshals and officials, around 70 to 80 key officials will be brought in from Australia to run the show because the organisers want to ensure that everything runs smoothly at Singapore's inaugural Formula One race.

Ms Tan said: "The plan is - for the first year... because they come with lots of experience in organising... the Australian Grand Prix, they will actually assume... the (so-called) chief role."

In the second year, the Australians will assume the deputy role and oversee the Singaporeans, who will take complete charge in year three.

Ms Tan said future training sessions will be conducted by the Australians in Singapore. - CNA/ac

fatz

March 19, 2008         
3 in cellphone heist, brutal assault get death sentence
By Selina Lum


(From left) Daniel Vijay Katherasan, Christoper Samson Anpalagan and Nakamuthu Balakrishnan were convicted of murder. -- PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRO

THREE men recruited to carry out a million-dollar cellphone heist and fatally assaulted a lorry driver were convicted of murder and sentenced to hang.

Daniel Vijay Katherasan, 25, Christoper Samson Anpalagan, 25, and Nakamuthu Balakrishnan, 49, had brutally bashed up Mr Wan Cheon Kem while robbing his $1.3-million cargo of 2,700 Sony Ericsson cellphones.

An autopsy found that Mr Wan suffered at least 15 blows.

The trio had been roped in to execute the robbery, but the brains behind the plot were Arsan Krishnasamy Govindarajoo, 40, and Ragu Ramajayam, 37.

Ragu, Mr Wan's colleague who provided inside information about the cellphone delivery, is serving a 4 1/2 year jail term.

Arsan, who hatched the plan but was not at the scene of the assault, was jailed 16 1/2 years for abetting others to commit armed robbery as well as dealing in stolen goods.

Nakamuthu, Daniel Vijay and Christopher Samson went on trial in October last year on a joint charge of murder with common intention. Justice Tay Yong Kwang on Wednesday found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The three men seemed calm on hearing the verdict, even as more than 20 friends and family members sobbed quietly in the public gallery.

The prosecution called a total of 98 witnesses to testify. Police statements given by the trio were also produced as evidence against them.

The court heard that in May 2006, Ragu and Arsan plotted to rob expensive cargo transported by the former's employer, a freight-forwarding company.

Arsan then recruited Nakamuthu, an odd-job labourer to carry out the robbery. Nakamuthu, in turn, roped in Daniel Vijay and Christopher Samson, both AWOL national servicemen.

On May 25, the trio stole a baseball bat from a car workshop. Four days later, they discussed the robbery with Arsan.

On May 30, with information provided by Ragu, the trio lay in wait along Changi Coast Road and staged an accident with Mr Wan's 24-foot truck.

After Mr Wan alighted, he was repeatedly assaulted with the bat by Nakamuthu on his head and body. His limp body was dumped on the floorboard of his lorry.

At a carpark in Pasir Ris, they transferred the cargo from Mr Wan's lorry to their own truck.

A passer-by found Mr Wan and called the police. He was taken to Changi General Hospital, but never regained consciousness and died six days later, on June 5.

fatz

March 19, 2008         
Match-made in prison
By Chong Chee Kin and Teh Joo Lin


Under a new programme, inmates and employers understand more about each othe
before job interviews are held. The project was launched last year.
-- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN

SELECTED prison inmates no longer feel like they are on blind dates when they meet prospective employers to discuss jobs while still in jail.

Under a new programme by the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (Score), inmates and employers understand more about each other well before job interviews are held.

Score partnered the Workforce Development Agency for this project.

Previously, there were no concerted efforts to screen, prepare and train the inmates before they signed up with prospective employers at job fairs.

But under the 'Prepare and Place' Project, inmates who are selected come up with the industries they are keen on working in.

Employers from two or three of these shortlisted industries are then invited to visit the inmates. They talk to them about the types of jobs available, the hours and the pay.

If the inmates are still interested after this, they are assessed on how good a match they are for jobs in their chosen fields.

They are also tested on literacy and how good they are with numbers. A certificate with the results of the test can be used to bolster their applications.

This is followed by training sessions on topics such as writing resumes and handling interviews. Among other things, they are also taught how to deal with questions about their life behind bars.

The entire process takes about a month.

By the time the inmate meets his potential employer at the job fair, both parties already know what one another can bring to the table.

The Score and Singapore Prison Service team behind this project received a Home Team Achievement Award from Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, 28 more inmates applied for jobs in the marine, logistics and food and beverage industries, for jobs like waiters, drivers and welders.

At the end of the day, 23 were successful in their applications. One was rejected, and the applications of the remaining four were pending.

The 28 joined 505 others who applied for jobs under the project last year when it was launched. About 400 were successful.

fatz

March 19, 2008         
Car overturned, van burst into fire in collision


AN EARLY morning collision on Wednesday left a car turned turtle and a van
ablaze at the busy junction of Jurong West Avenue 5 and Jalan Bahar.
-- PHOTO: WAN BAO


AN EARLY morning collision on Wednesday left a car turned turtle and a van ablaze at the busy junction of Jurong West Avenue 5 and Jalan Bahar.

Police said that they received a call at about 7am informing them of the accident involving the two vehicles.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived a few minutes later and put out the fire, which came from the van's front engine compartment.

No was injured in the accident.

Stomper Elijah Chai said police arrived at the scene at about 7.15m.

From her window, she said she saw a vehicle on fire, right smack in the middle of the junction, and an overturned car.

'Flames were shooting up into the sky, and traffic was restricted to just a single lane of the major junction. There were some SCDF officers trying to put out the fire. There was a smallish explosion that took an officer off-guard,' she said in an email to Stomp.

'A while later, an officer entered the overturned car and turned off the engine. An ambulance arrived later, having taken a detour to avoid the massive jam.'

'As far as I could see, I did not witness any casualties.'

She also sent in several photos of the accident to Stomp.

fatz

March 19, 2008         
Student jailed for illegal ATM withdrawals


Dewi Marlina appeared in court for withdrawing
cash using her friend's ATM card on various
occasions. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

A FOREIGN student was jailed for a week and fined $7,000 on Wednesday for making 95 unauthorised withdrawals and purchases, amounting to $20,814 with her roommate's DBS Bank ATM card in 2007.

Dewi Marlina, 19, who was then with the Singapore Institute of Management, has repaid the money. She could have been jailed up to seven years.

***************************************************

Man fined for peeping at woman's upskirt with pocket mirror

A MAN who used a pocket mirror to peep into a woman's upskirt at a supermarket was fined $2,000 on Wednesday for insulting her modesty.

Ngui June Sien, 40, a logistic supervisor, admitted to the offence at Cold Storage Parkway Parade on Marine Parade Road on Dec 7 last year.

A magistrate's court heard that an officer was on duty at Cold Storage that evening when he noticed Ngui behaving suspiciously behind the woman.

The officer followed Ngui to the tidbits section where he saw Ngui kneel down, take a mirror from his pocket and place it underneath the victim's skirt. Ngui was detained.

Ngui, who is married, said in mitigation that he was a first offender and did not know that the offence was so serious.

He could have been jailed for up to one year or fined or both.

*****************************************************
March 19, 2008         
Lorry driver moonlighted as metal thief, jailed 1 year
By Khushwant Singh

AT ABOUT 8am on Feb 18, lorry driver Abdul Manan Ismail and four accomplices stole two stainless steel tables from a coffee shop in Senoko Way.

Police arrested him and investigations revealed that he and the group were responsible for more than $49,000 worth of metal thefts from last October.

The 46-year-old was jailed for a year and two months on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to five theft charges. Seven other charges were considered by the judge in sentencing.

Accomplices Muhd Rizal Kasim, 18, Muhammad Isa Abdul Mutalib and Mohammad Haris Haron, both 16, and the only woman in the group, Latiffah Abdullah, 32, were also caught but they have not been dealt with.

Manan's stealing spree started on Oct 6, when he drove his lorry into the Jebsen & Jessen Packaging premises at Enterprise Road at 5.30pm. He loaded up his lorry with parts of 22 metal moulds, valued at $44,000, and drove off.

The theft was discovered two days later and police were informed. Until his arrest in February, Manan and his accomplices used his lorry and stole zinc sheets and scrap metal from scrapyards as well as stainless steel tables and cupboards from coffee shops.

Manan sold the metal items for an undisclosed sum of money.

He could have been fined and jailed up to three years

******************************************************
Girl's fall from condo flat: Misadventure

A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl died after she fell seven floors from a Pasir Ris condominium last November (07). The girl was at home with her father, Mr Kevin Brendan O'Shea, 38, a lawyer, on Nov 17 when the tragedy happened.

A coroner's court heard that the girl fell from the seventh floor of her Elias Green condiminium to the balcony of the first level unit. Two broken flower pots were about 1.6m away.

A policeman who checked the seventh floor flat found the balcony sliding door ajar.

The girl was pronounced dead about an hour later at Changi General Hospital.

Mr O'Shea had told police that he was in the study at the time while his daughter was drinking milk in his room. Shortly later, his wife went out.

He later found her missing and went downstairs to look for her. On seeing her lying on the ground floor, he immediately performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation until the ambulance came.

According to the father, his daughter used to look down from the balcony and would shout at her mother jogging downstairs. She was warned not to do it.

State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of misadventure on her death. The parents did not attend the inquiry.

fatz

Man furious when bicycle parked at library walkway is locked by staff, says: PATH IS WIDE ENOUGH
But library replies: IT SHOULD BE LEFT AT BIKE BAY
By Mindy Tan
March 19, 2008


The walkway of the National Library at Victoria Street where Mr Bin's bicycle was locked on Saturday by library employees. It was the second time his bike had been locked up.

THE standoff had simmered for some time.

A man insisted on parking his bicycle at a pedestrian walkway at the National Library's Plaza at Victoria Street despite repeated warnings not to.

It all came to a head on Saturday, when National Library Board (NLB) staff secured the man's bicycle by chaining it to a railing after he again parked it on the walkway at 3.15pm.

When he returned about three hours later and found his bicycle chained up, he threw a fit.

He argued with an NLB security officer and when he made no headway, he decided to exact his own tit-for-tat revenge.

While screaming at the officer, the man, who was wearing a red T-shirt and shorts, decided to lock up the library's entrance.

He put his bicycle chain around the steel handles of the library's glass doors and locked it, refusing to undo the lock until NLB staff 'released' his bicycle.

The standoff ended only when the NLB called the police at around 6.45pm.

When the police arrived, the man unlocked his bicycle chain and NLB staff removed the chain from his bicycle.

In an e-mail reply, an NLB spokesman said it was the second time it had chained the man's bicycle for parking indiscriminately at the thoroughfare.

The NLB identified him as Mr Bin Hee Heng.


Mr Bin, speaking to the police and another official on Saturday. Pictures: LIANHE WANBAO

Of Saturday's drama, the spokesman said: 'He shouted at our security officer that he had the permission of NLB management to park his bicycle there, but this was not the case.'

The NLB added that its security staff had cautioned Mr Bin about his bike as early as March last year, telling him to leave it the designated bicycle bay facing Bain Street.

The spokesman said: 'There are sufficient lots available at the bay and they are usually not fully occupied.'

By Mr Bin's own admission to Lianhe Wanbao, it was not the first time he had left his bicycle along the pedestrian pathway.

His rationale was: 'The pathway is so wide, my bicycle is not obstructing anyone.'

But the NLB took a different view.

'Parking bicycles indiscriminately at the building premises can pose safety issues to the public and we seek the cooperation of the public to use the designated bicycle bay,' its spokesman said.

The man claimed to Lianhe Wanbao that his many e-mails to the NLB management presenting his point of view had gone unanswered.

According to NLB, Mr Bin had, on several occasions, parked his bicycle at the pedestrian railing next to the pathway of the National Library building facing Middle Road.

He had also parked his bicycle at various other non-designated areas in the building premises.

He allegedly turned a deaf ear when staff asked him to leave his bicycle at the racks provided and also ignored the repeated reminders and warnings issued to him.

NLB said of Saturday's ruckus: 'Our staff explained the action taken and that we would need his cooperation to park at the bicycle bay in future.

'Mr Bin refused and proceeded to use his bicycle chain to lock one of the entrance doors to the building.

'He demanded that the security officer... unlock his bicycle before he would do the same to the building entrance.

'At this point, our staff had to call the police in to intervene.'

Mr Bin told Lianhe Wanbao: 'I locked the library's doors purely to show my displeasure, but once the police arrived, I removed my chain.'

INCONVENIENCE AND RISK

In the meantime, affected library users had to use another door.

A passer-by, Ms Gao Yanling, felt that Mr Bin's behaviour was unwarranted.

She said: 'Even though there were other doors, the public would have one exit fewer if there had been an emergency.'

Lawyer Sunil Sudheesan, of KhattarWong, said the man could be charged with public nuisance, under Section 268 of the Penal Code, for causing annoyance, obstruction or danger to the public.

Such an act may be punished with a fine of up to $1,000.

Mr Sunil added: 'We must first ask if NLB had a right to chain Mr Bin's bicycle.

'An appropriate NLB action would be to contact the police first, given his consistent disregard for their warnings.

'But some may argue that this would have been too draconian.

'On Mr Bin's part, locking up the doors of the library is wrong. He clearly had no right to close the doors of the library the way he did.

'I think it is a shame that matters escalated to such an extent.'

When contacted, the police confirmed they received a call about a man creating public nuisance.

They said both parties were advised to settle the matter peacefully and they complied.

The NLB spokesman said: 'While the library is a public place, the public is expected to observe the rules in place and to cooperate with our staff and security officers on the use of the library and building premises for the safety and convenience of all users.'

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March 20, 2008         
More remarriages among Muslims
By Sumathi Selvaretnam
ONE in three Muslim marriages in 2006 involved at least one partner who has tied the knot in the past. Of these 1,387 remarriages, one-third were between couples who had both been divorced.

The re-marriage rate is rising in the community, from about 27 per cent of all Muslim marriages 10 years ago to 35.2 per cent in 2006, according to the latest available statistics.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, Parliamentary Secretary (National Development), wants such families to get more help.

'When a marriage breaks down, children are involved. When they remarry and they divorce again there is another set of children involved,' he told reporters on Wednesday.

But the increasing numbers are weighing on the As-Salaam Family Support Centre which has been offering preparatory programmes for remarried couples since 2001.

Run by the Young Women Muslim Association, it introduced workshops, support groups and counselling for step-families in 2005.

Its reach has been limited to just 17 per cent of remarried couples, or about 300 cases a year, all referred by the Registry of Muslim Marriages as well as Malay Muslim organisations.

To grow that reach, Dr Maliki, co-chairman of the Family Development Network which looks into strengthening families, said more social workers will be hired specifically for this programme, so that at least 500 families can be covered in the first year.

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March 20, 2008         
CTE widening to start soon
Singapore's most congested expressway to get extra lane in each direction by 2011.
By Christopher Tan


This widening project is the most extensive since the CTE was opened in 1991. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

MOTORISTS who have to brave the constant traffic gridlock on the Central Expressway - Singapore's most congested highway - can expect a smoother ride in about 20 months' time.

The Land Transport Authority has awarded the first contract to widen the expressway to Sesdaq-listed Or Kim Peow Contractors.

The local firm will widen a 1.5km stretch between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and 3, adding an extra lane in each direction, for $16.86 million. Work will start soon, and be completed by end-2009.

By 2011, the entire CTE, stretching from Bukit Timah to Yio Chu Kang, will be widened to have four lanes in each direction.

The LTA will also be improving existing connections to the expressway at Bukit Timah and Pan-Island Expressway.

This widening project is the most extensive since the CTE was opened in 1991.

It is part of a broad plan to improve land transport announced by Transport Minister Raymond Lim in January.

The plan includes building a 21km largely underground North-South Expressway, which is to be ready by 2020.