Mohammad Faiz further assured its customers that such incident would not happen again, and downplayed any allegation of the chain playing up racial and religious issues.

He also added that the management has since hired a more experienced team to manage its social media accounts.

Recently, the local brand received backlash after accusing the ethnic Chinese of sabotage using the euphemism "Type C” in a Facebook comment.

The comment was made in response to a complaint by a customer that the prices of their chicken are too expensive and no better than other chains such as KFC.

On Tuesday, DFC had apologised for the comment on its social media platforms — but failed to assuage criticisms from both political divides.

Both DAP and MCA have criticised the brand for attempting to cash in on racial sentiments amid calls to boycott the popular chain KFC.

DAP's Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat in a social media post had suggested that he would stay clear of the brand, while MCA Youth vice-chief Tan Yang Pang had asked for action from authorities citing the brand of "stirring public resentment against the Chinese community”.

DFC is named after its owner Yayasan Darul Sajidin founded by Islamic teacher Muhd Zainul Asri Mohd Romli. who said the chain was established to fund the Islamic schools run by the foundation.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/10/under-fire-for-racist-type-c-comment-fried-chicken-brand-blames-fb-admin-and-reassigns-her/133575

Foreigners make up 30% or more of PMET staff for 2 in 10 larger firms in S'pore: https://old.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1cmwj2n/foreigners_make_up_30_or_more_of_pmet_staff_for_2/

SINGAPORE – Singapore will continue to welcome foreign professionals, but maintain a level of control so that citizens do not become a minority, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said.

“If it is not controlled, I think we will be easily swamped”, he added.

Foreign professionals are, however, needed to complement the Singaporean core, as they do add value to the economy, filling jobs in areas like construction and marine that Singaporeans shy away from, or in new areas where new skills are required, he said.

By maintaining a tiered level of controls in bringing in such professionals, Singapore can benefit from a “net plus for all” scenario, he pointed out.

He cited the example of the United Arab Emirates where citizens make up only less than 10 per cent of its population. Singapore “cannot afford” such a state of affairs, he said, as it does not rely on oil and gas revenues to provide for its citizens, unlike the Middle Eastern country.

Due to this difference, while the UAE allows foreigners to come in freely, the approach is not possible in Singapore, DPM Wong said.

He was speaking to The Economist in a wide-ranging interview on May 6, ahead of his succession to prime minister on May 15.

DPM Wong noted that the period of effortless growth for Singapore is over as the country is at a high level of development, and labour is just one of its issues.

“We will be expensive. I mean, you cannot expect high wages and low cost. Wages and cost are two parts of the same coin. We have high incomes, costs are high, we will have to keep on innovating, restructuring and then pushing the productivity and innovation frontier to justify the premium,” he said.

Given the challenges ahead, Singapore has to continue attracting cutting-edge investments here, pushing the frontier, and be prepared to let non-viable businesses fade away so that resources can be freed up.

“It is very much the process of churn, which can be very disruptive to workers, but that is why we have also put in place a lot of efforts to help workers retrain, reskill and upskill,” he added.

Can S'pore become race-blind?

Whether Singapore can be a society that can do away with its categorisation of ethnic identities under Chinese, Malay, Indian and Others was another topic delved into, with the interviewer asking if Singapore can truly be post-racial.

DPM Wong said he is indeed eyeing evolving Singapore into a society that becomes “race-blind”, but he also has to be “very realistic”, given that recent events have continued to send reminders that the instincts of race are primal and emotive, even dormant, among citizens.

“They just lie below the surface. It only takes an incident, a bad actor, someone trying to stir things, to cause the dormant virus to flare up again. That is why we have to be vigilant and watchful,” he said.

DPM Wong cited the spike in race-related incidents during the Covid-19 pandemic as one example.

Describing these incidents as “very sharp, very antagonistic”, he recalled the racial slurs made towards a person of a certain ethnic community seen walking around without wearing a face mask in the park, as well as the sharp reaction in response to an influx of arrivals from India.

Stronger identity politics

Asked for his views on whether the rise of stronger identity politics as seen in the West is a threat to Singapore, DPM Wong said he takes a different approach in dealing with issues of identity.

It is not about assimilating into one single identity, but about allowing people who identify differently to come together and find ways to expand the common ground shared among Singaporeans, he said.

But since deep differences surely exist, DPM Wong said people will need to learn how to find ways to accommodate, and even compromise.

“Compromise cannot be a bad word. Compromise cannot be an issue of dishonour to my tribe or to my identity. Because if that is dishonour, then it is all-out war,” he said.

In the interview, DPM Wong also identified as being the first prime minister to be born after Singapore's independence, when asked for his take on how attitudes among the younger generation have changed.

Bunching himself as part of the generation that grew up knowing only an enormously successful and prosperous Singapore, he said: “All my predecessors sang two, if not three other national anthems – God Save The King, the Japanese Kimi Ga Yo and, briefly, Malaysia's Negaraku.

“I have only sung one national anthem, Majulah Singapura, our national anthem.”

DPM Wong said the values and principles that brought Singapore to where it is today, such as meritocracy, incorruptibility and racial harmony, remain intact.

At the same time, though, there are changes, he said, adding: “Many of the young people I engage would like to strive and work hard for their own aspirations.”

They envision a Singapore where broader definitions of success are embraced, where every job is respected, where there is a fairer wage for every job, and a greater sense of assurance and security for individuals to uplift themselves and bounce back through life's setbacks, DPM Wong said.

Having distilled these from conversations with various groups of Singaporeans under his Forward Singapore consultation exercise, he said: “We are taking steps towards realising these goals.”

As part of the annual Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) training, a Singaporean C-130H Hercules transport aircraft and approximately 140 Singaporean personnel have deployed to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base Richmond to undertake flying activity including airdrop and parachute operations over Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and regional New South Wales.

“Singaporean C-130 crews deploy to RAAF Base Richmond for this training each year,” Air Commodore Bradley Clarke said.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will support the exercise with airbase operations support, air traffic control services and other logistical and operational support. ADF jumpers, parachutes, and aircraft will not be involved.

A chance to meet the man of my dreams while he visits a country where gay is a-ok?

SINGAPORE - For nearly a year in 2019, Kelly (not her real name) did not leave her room, except to use the potty. She slept in the day and woke up just to play computer games, often till the wee hours of the morning.

It was not uncommon for the then 15-year-old girl to go a week without showering.

Mental health case worker Mandy Yang recalled how Kelly's hair fell to her hips when she first saw her, because she had not gone for a haircut for so long.

In the first few months when she missed school, her school principal visited her. But that soon stopped when she closed up and could not trust anyone from her school. She also shut out two close friends, who visited her occasionally.

She started to drop off the grid. “I just didn't want to see anyone, not even my close friends. I didn't really have the energy to keep up a conversation at that point. It was just very draining.

“There was a part of me that really wanted to go to school and have a normal life with other people. But at that point, I kind of just gave up on my life,” said Kelly, who is now 20.

Kelly is among more than 30 reclusive youth who have received help from charity Impart since 2021. Around half of them have managed to come out of reclusion.

These young people are also known as “hidden youth” or “hikikomori”, a Japanese term that refers to youth who withdraw from society and isolate themselves at home for extended periods of time. About 2 per cent of people in Japan, or around 1.46 million people, identify as hikikomori.

There are no national statistics on the phenomenon in Singapore, although there has been a steady rise in the trend in developed countries, especially in Asia.

Who are these reclusive youth?

Impart, which helps young people facing adversities, has a crisis response initiative Imna, which provides a first line of psychological support for youth. Volunteers are paired with youth to build a safe space for them to express themselves and increase stability in their lives over six months.

Impart's deputy executive director Joshua Tay said his organisation is seeing more cases of reclusive youth, spanning a wide range of reasons including bullying, conflict with parents or mental health issues.

“Social media and gaming definitely has been a trigger point, or can enable the behaviour. But it's a complex phenomenon.”

Some youth may need much more than six months. “In these cases, we just try to be as innovative or creative in understanding them, relating to them in different ways,” said Mr Tay. To communicate with a non-verbal youth who did not leave home for three years, his Impart case worker messaged him through online platform Groomercord while sitting next to him.

Mr Tay said volunteers help the youth figure out their motivations and pathways towards their goals. “The underlying theme is to work together with the youth – not to feel like they are the problem – but against whatever they might be feeling.”

He added: “For a lot of youth cases, we see a crisis of hopelessness. A lot of it is helping them to see that there are people who can help them along in believing in themselves again.”

Bullying made her afraid of people

In Secondary 2, Kelly, an only child, transferred to another school after being repeatedly bullied in primary and secondary school. She said there was also tension with her mother, a housewife, who resorted to hitting her when she was growing up. Her father works full-time, although she does not know what he works as.

Her best friends in primary school – whom she deemed closer to her than her own parents – had turned against her, ostracising her and talking about her behind her back.

Similar incidents happened in secondary school, even after she moved to another school for a fresh start. “It got me thinking, is it a ‘me' problem?” she said.

She became afraid of people.

She started to dread going out in public, especially seeing students in school uniforms and being on the train. “Even when people are just talking among themselves, I feel like they're talking about me.”

Midway into Secondary 2, which she repeated, she stopped going to school entirely.

Her mother's efforts to make her go back did not help. “She pressured me more. She kept telling me to go to school. It made me feel like she didn't really care about what was going on at school. She just wanted me to go to school to study.

“Everything I told her, like it made me feel like it's my fault instead. I think gradually I just didn't tell her anything.”

Online games became her only refuge. “That was my way of making friends. It's safer in a way where (online friends) don't know me and I don't know them and then I can share whatever I want.”

But when the screen turned black, she was alone again.

She would often spend hours in the potty thinking about her life, and when her mother banged on the door, she would turn on the tap to pretend she was showering. More than once, she fell asleep in the potty.

“I thought: Relationships in my life ‘cmi' (cannot make it), then my studies ‘cmi' also, then I myself also ‘cmi'.”

A year passed in a blur. Things took a turn when a Child Protection Officer from the Ministry of Social and Family Development referred Kelly's case to Impart, and two volunteers from Impart knocked on her door in January 2021.

“She said very few words. When we asked her anything, she would give one-word answers,” recalled Ms Yang.

It was by coincidence that she realised she and Kelly shared a common interest in computer games, which helped to break the ice.

The volunteers visited her every two weeks, and after several sessions began making plans with her to venture outside. She took her first steps out to McDonald's near her home in Sembawang around March 2021.

Over the next six months, they met for lunch at places farther and farther from home.

A hand came when he needed it

Joel (not his real name) felt the same sense of helplessness when he stayed home for nearly 1½ years from June 2021 to October 2022. He was then 15 and had fallen behind in his studies, needing to repeat Secondary 3.

After he got bored with gaming for six months, he spent entire days in bed for another six months, stepping outside only to collect food that he had ordered online. He was awake from midnight to 6am and slept the rest of the day.

“I had no motivation, and I didn't know what I wanted in life. I felt mostly numb,” said Joel, who is now 18. The older of two boys lives with his grandmother and mother, who works as a sales manager. His parents live separately.

“I was hoping for opportunity and options, but I didn't know what was possible for me any more.”

For Joel, it was Impart's boxing programme for troubled young people, a collaboration with boxing gym Spartans Boxing Club, that got him out of the house.

He was sceptical when his case worker Calvin Leong brought up the idea of group therapy with nine other youth as part of the three-month boxing programme. But it helped him understand himself and his motivations for life better.

He also grew to enjoy going for the sessions from November 2022 to February 2023. “When you hear someone share their own story, it becomes less embarrassing to share your own,” he said.

He went back to school midway through the programme and came back to volunteer after he completed it.

Mr Leong said youth befrienders in the programme share their successes and setbacks with the group.

Joel did not score well for the O levels due to the short time he had to prepare, but is undaunted. “I still feel hopeful,” he said.

He hopes to study hard and eventually study cyber security at university. “I want to have the financial freedom to support my loved ones.”

Looking back, Kelly does not see her time at home as a waste. She still keeps in touch with friends from abroad she met on online game MapleStory.

She grew in confidence, and eventually found an administrative job with a crystal shop's website.

For the first time, she is content with her job and currently has no plans to continue her education. “I don't think I'm very ambitious. I just want a stable job and a stable family.”

Sweating buckets just stepping out of the house to hop onto the train to work.

2 mins in the living room after a cold shower and you're all sticky again.

On the bright side, you sweat more when working out so extra calories burnt? 🤷‍♂️

I look at our migrant workers toiling away, and our NSFs in FBO on route march and think how the frick are they doing it.

How are you guys keeping cool? Just sitting in air conditioning 24/7?

And it's gonna get worse in the next 2 months too 😕

Pedophiles need to be publicly shamed, imprisoned and castrated. If you take advantage of a child, I have no sympathy for you pic.twitter.com/XmQAaKz8gj

— Lord Miles (@real_lord_miles) April 29, 2024

SINGAPORE: In the three weeks since the speed enforcement function was activated in red-light cameras, those cameras have detected more than 800 speeding violations, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Monday (Apr 29).

The speed enforcement function in red-light cameras was progressively activated from Apr 1 in an effort to improve motorist behaviour on roads.

This would be done islandwide, SPF said previously, especially at locations that are more prone to accidents or violations.

There are more than 250 red-light cameras in Singapore as of last December, although the police did not reveal how many have had the speed enforcement function activated and where these cameras are located.

"Speeding and beating the red light have always been the top two traffic violations. Together, they account for about 75 per cent of the traffic violations committed in 2023," SPF said.

The newly activated function in red-light cameras has expanded the Traffic Police's range of enforcement equipment against speeding motorists, said Deputy Superintendent of Police William Foo, the officer-in-charge of the surveillance camera unit.

However, the number of speeding violations detected is "of concern", he said.

"We will continue to step up on our enforcement and will not hesitate to take action against errant motorists who choose to flout traffic rules," he added.

According to the police's latest annual traffic situation report in February, the number of speeding-related fatal accidents increased by 83.3 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022.

Although there was a fall in violations detected by traffic enforcement cameras in 2023, the number of speeding violations detected by other police enforcement operations increased by 22 per cent, from 52,016 cases to 63,468.

DETECTING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

TP officers patrol the roads around the clock, keeping a lookout for motorists who flout traffic rules the police said on Monday, adding that traffic enforcement operations are also conducted regularly.

Additionally, speed cameras and red-light cameras are used to detect violations with the help of laser technology, radar technology or detector loops embedded in the road.

Cameras using laser technology emit laser beams at a vehicle and measure the time it takes for the beam to bounce back to calculate the vehicle's speed.

Those using radar technology operate the same way, except they emit radio waves instead of laser beams.

Cameras that use detector loops - which are typically the red-light cameras - create an electromagnetic field when the traffic light turns red. When a vehicle passes over the loop, it disrupts the field and triggers the camera to capture images of the vehicle.

The speed enforcement function in TP's red-light cameras operates similarly as well, said the police.

"If the traffic violation is detected by an enforcement camera, the violation image or video captured will be processed backend," SPF said, adding that these will then be reviewed by camera unit officers.

All violations go through a "two-layer verification" to ensure validity and accuracy before a report is created, said the police. The entire process could take about two to three weeks.

A notice of traffic offence may be issued to the motorist depending on the investigation outcome.

That malaysian strag banned me from his animal hole . I was wondering if this hole is a safe space for cuteand valid transwomen ?

SINGAPORE -- The car driver involved in a six-vehicle crash in Tampines that killed two people has been handed four charges.

Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 42, was charged on April 25 with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing hurt and dangerous driving. He was also charged with failing to stop after an accident.

The prosecution said additional charges may be tendered against Syafie, and sought an adjournment for investigations to be completed and for a medical report to be ready.

Syafie was offered bail of $30,000. As part of his bail conditions, he must not have contact with any of the prosecution witnesses and must report to the investigation officer when required. He must also be electronically tagged.

The prosecution said he should be monitored with an electronic tag because of the serious charges he is facing, and noted that he could be a flight risk.

In response, Syafie said: "I don't think it is necessary to put an e-tag on me as all my documents, my passport, have been seized by the police. I am on bail, and am already present today and will be present for all the court matters.

"But it is up to the court to make the decision."

Syafie arrived at the State Courts at around 8.30am with his arm in a sling. He was escorted by the police and Aetos officers.

His case began at around 10am. He was expressionless as he stood before the judge.

When the judge asked him if he wished to say anything, Syafie said he would be engaging a lawyer.

The Straits Times understands that Syafie was driving a black Saab, which was seen in dashcam footage posted on social media.

According to charge sheets, Syafie allegedly failed to stop at the red traffic light, which resulted in his car colliding with two cars before surging forward to crash into another car.

Meanwhile, the first car Syafie crashed into spun before overturning, and this caused it to collide with a van. The van then collided with a minibus.

The impacts allegedly caused the deaths of Madam Norzihan Juwahib, 57, and Afifah Munirah Muhammad Azril, 17.

Charge sheets also stated that Syafie's driving allegedly injured Ms Lee Yau Meng, 42; Mr Weng Haifeng, 42; Mr Chia Tong Chai, 64; and Mr Mohammad Azman Mohd Enjah, 39.

Two 11-year-old boys were also injured in the accident.

Those convicted of dangerous driving causing death can be jailed between two and eight years, and be disqualified from driving.

The offence of dangerous driving causing hurt carries a penalty of up to two years' jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

On Syafie's dangerous-driving charge, court documents stated that he drove his car recklessly by making an abrupt lane change from lane two to lane one of a two-lane road to overtake another car.

He also filtered back “acutely” into lane two in front of the other car, resulting in a side-swipe collision, causing the car to veer to the left and its left tyres to graze the kerb.

He then allegedly failed to stop after this, despite being required to do so after an accident.

A pre-trial conference will take place on June 7.

He was arrested on April 24 after being discharged from hospital. His driving licence was suspended with immediate effect.

The police said investigations are ongoing for other potential offences.

The crash involving four cars, a van and a minibus occurred on April 22 at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4.

Madam Norzihan and Afifah, who died after the accident, were both buried at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery on April 23.

Madam Norzihan was a passenger in the van, on her way to work, when the accident occurred. The right side of the vehicle was badly dented. She was a senior technician at pest control firm First Choice Pest Specialist and had worked there for about 10 years.

Afifah, a first-year student at Temasek Junior College, was a passenger in a car, on the way to take part in her school's annual cross-country event.

Her father, Mr Muhammad Azril, a Police Coast Guard officer, was driving their car when the impact from the collision caused it to turn turtle with its doors flung open.

He was taken to hospital with kidney- and spine-related injuries.

Five other people, including the two 11-year-old boys, were also taken to hospital.

The offence of dangerous driving carries a jail term of up to a year, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

For failing to stop after an accident, an offender can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to three months, or both.

A 36-year-old man was arrested by the Singapore Police Force on Apr. 22 after he allegedly approached a woman with a request to draw a smiley face on her feet using a marker "as part of a dare".

He also supposedly asked to take photos of his drawing on her afterwards, said the police in an Apr. 24 news release.

When the victim lodged a police report on Apr. 18 at around 4:20pm, she also alleged that the man "had touched her feet while taking photos of her feet".

No further details were provided about the interaction that allegedly occurred.

Man to be charged with outrage of modesty

Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Ang Mo Kio police division established the identity of the man and arrested him along Mayflower Road.

A marker, a mobile phone, and two storage devices were seized as case exhibits.

The man will be charged in court on Apr. 24 with the offence of outrage of modesty.

If convicted, the accused could have been jailed for up to three years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of the punishments above.

Report matter to police immediately

The police also urged members of the public to remain vigilant towards sexual offenders.

Should they witness an incident of molestation or are aware of someone being a victim of molestation, they are encouraged to report the matter to the police immediately.

"The police have zero tolerance towards sexual offenders who threaten the safety of the community and will spare no effort in ensuring that offenders are swiftly apprehended and dealt with sternly in accordance with the law," added the police.

PoV: You just got visited by the Patron Saint of Neoliberalism

Economy? Liberalized.
Drug dealers? Executed.
Immigrants? Assimilated.

Fertility? ...Crashed. pic.twitter.com/mdwtsgf8eK

— browncel (Octavian ka Parivar) (@hindookissinger) April 23, 2024

• Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will hand over the premiership to his deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15, 2024

• The announcement was made by the Prime Minister's Office on April 15

• Mr Lee urged all Singaporeans to lend their support to Mr Wong and the fourth-generation team in Government

• Mr Wong will be sworn in at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana

SINGAPORE --- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will hand over the premiership to his deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Monday (April 15).

The announcement came two years after Cabinet ministers picked Mr Wong to be the leader of the fourth-generation (4G) team of political leaders from the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP), and seven months ahead of the party's 70th anniversary coming up in November.

"Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will relinquish his office on 15 May 2024," the PMO statement said on Monday, adding that Mr Lee will formally advise President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to appoint Mr Wong as prime minister.

"DPM Wong has the unanimous support of the PAP Members of Parliament."

Mr Wong will be sworn in as prime minister at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana, the PMO added.

Mr Lee, who led the country for about 20 years, said last November that he would pass the leadership role to Mr Wong before the PAP's 70th birthday "if all goes well".

The upcoming handover will mark the third time a Singapore prime minister hands over the reins of the country's leadership.

Mr Lee first took office in August 2004 at age 52 from his predecessor Goh Chok Tong, who handed him the baton after leading the nation for around 14 years.

Mr Goh took over at age 49 from founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1990. The late Mr Lee led Singapore for 31 years as prime minister, and was 67 when Mr Goh took office.

Mr Wong will be 51 when he takes over as the next prime minister in May, a year younger than Mr Lee when the latter took office.

Writing on his Facebook page on Monday, Mr Lee said that a leadership transition is a "significant" moment for any country and urged all Singaporeans to give Mr Wong and the 4G team their "full support".

He noted how Mr Wong and the team of 4G leaders have worked hard to gain the people's trust, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Through the Forward Singapore exercise, they have worked with many Singaporeans to refresh our social compact and develop the national agenda for a new generation," Mr Lee said.

"The 4G team are committed to keeping Singapore working well and moving ahead. These will always be top priorities for the Government."

In a video posted on his social media accounts, Mr Wong said he accepts the premiership with "humility and a deep sense of duty" and pledged to give his all in this undertaking.

"Every ounce of my energy shall be devoted to the service of our country and our people," he said.

"Your dreams will inspire my actions. Your concerns will guide my decisions," he added.

"Work with me and my team. Together, we can build a future that shines brightly for all Singaporeans."

PAP'S SUCCESSION PLANS

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Lee had said that he hoped to step down before his 70th birthday, which was in February 2022.

The pandemic disrupted these succession plans.

During the 2020 General Elections, Mr Lee --- who was then 68 --- pledged to see Singapore through the pandemic and hand over the country "intact and in good working order to the next team". Whether or not he could step down by 70 would depend on how the pandemic unfolded, he later said.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was previously picked by the party's 4G leaders as their "primus inter pares" --- first among equals --- later took himself out of the running for the premiership.

Mr Heng said that he would have too short of a runway since he would be near his mid-60s when he takes over as prime minister after the Covid-19 crisis is over.

Following this development, the 4G leaders asked for more time to pick their leader, saying there was a need to arrive at a consensus and to deal with the ongoing pandemic.

In 2022, two years after Mr Heng bowed out of contention for the job, the Cabinet named Mr Wong, who is the finance minister, as the next-in-line to take over Mr Lee.

Mr Wong was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister in June that year and was later appointed to a newly created role of deputy secretary-general of PAP during its annual party convention in November 2022.

SINGAPORE – Singapore is committed to protecting all minority communities living in the country and they include the Muslim and Jewish communities, said Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam on April 11.

He noted that sentiments against Israel arising from the Gaza conflict could affect the perception of Jewish communities around the world, but pledged that the Government would insulate and protect Singapore's Jewish community from such impact as much as possible.

Speaking at an event organised by the Jewish Welfare Board to celebrate the advent of Passover, he said: “We have made a clear commitment to protect all our minorities which, in Singapore's context, include Muslim and Jewish communities, and we take a firm view against any expression of violence, and obviously any actual violence.”

“There is a reason why a Cabinet minister is here, speaking with you – to send a message to everyone that every community in Singapore is equal and will be protected,” he added.

Passover, the most widely observed Jewish festival around the world, begins at sundown on April 22.

Around the world, instances of Islamophobia and anti-semitism have been on the rise, ever since Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel that killed 1,200 Israelis, and Israel's retaliation in the days since that has killed some 33,000 Palestinians.

In Singapore, the situation has so far looked quite different, noted Mr Shanmugam at the event held at the Jacob Ballas Centre in Waterloo Street.

Singapore is one of few places in the region where Jews can openly profess their faith, he added, noting that the community has had a long history here and played a vital role in building up the country through the years.

While Singapore too has felt some impact from the ongoing war in Gaza, despite trying hard not to import the tensions, conflicts and arguments, the level of friction here is much less than it is elsewhere, he added.

He cited Singapore's framework of laws, firmness in making clear that laws will be enforced equally, and the efforts made through the years to increase understanding between various communities, as reasons for this.

On the conflict in the Middle East, Mr Shanmugam said both sides, Israelis and Palestinians, have dehumanised each other, and this was bad news for peace, regardless of who is right or wrong.

He added that in the 1960s and 1970s, Israel was seen as the underdog struggling for survival in the Middle East, eliciting natural sympathy from around the world, but this has eroded somewhat due to the policies of different Israeli governments towards the Palestinians.

He added that Singapore's relations with Israel have been very strong since independence, but “it will not preclude us from taking a principled view on the actions of the different actors in the Middle East, at any point in time”.

Recent actions by Israel have been a cause for concern not just for Singapore but also for many in the international community, including the United States, he said.

“It is sad to see that a country like Israel, whose people have suffered so much during the Holocaust and centuries before that, should be accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice.”

This could affect Jewish communities around the world, he added.

This was why a strong stance had to be taken against a recent Facebook post by the Israeli Embassy, he said. The post made on March 24 compared the number of times Israel and Palestine were mentioned in the Quran.

The embassy had taken down the post that same day after intervention by the Government, and later said it had punished a staff member for putting it up without authorisation

Mr Shanmugam said the post risked inflaming tensions and could put the Jewish community here at risk and also undermine peace and harmony, if the anger spilt over into the physical realm.

Chief Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, speaking at the event, said the main theme of Passover is freedom – the festival commemorates the liberation of Jews from slavery in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.

He added that Jews had found the freedom to practise their faith in Singapore more than 200 years ago, which allowed the community to thrive and make its contribution to the “unique oasis of respect and peaceful coexistence”.

His sentiment was echoed by Ms Leeran Gold, 33, who is a permanent resident here and a member of the Jewish Welfare Board.

The psychologist, who is married to a Singaporean and has lived here for 10 years, said: “I feel very, very safe here, and I think that's a very special thing to have.”

More than 50 members of the Jewish community attended the event together with their guests, including leaders of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) from the Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Zoroastrian communities, among others.

Among them was IRO honorary secretary Ameerali Abdeali. Speaking at the sidelines of the event, he said that while personal opinions and feelings about the war in Gaza are allowed, it should not spill over into the physical space.

“Whatever is happening in other parts of the world, we in Singapore have, over the decades, built our friendship... with the Singapore Jewish community, and we want to remain together and to help and protect each other,” he added.

“But at the same time, we are all praying for peace, not only amongst us in Singapore, but over there in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, where there is untold suffering, and we are all affected by it. So we really hope that peace will remain and we will come to a new normal.”

Seethe: https://old.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/10m6yue/the_reason_why_singapore_is_beautiful/

reasons why i’m single pic.twitter.com/eVrzolDlkv

— Dan (@rarecray) March 29, 2024

Oopsie!

Also it has been so fricking hot recently Jesus Christ

BALTIMORE, Maryland (Reuters) -- A 948-foot container ship smashed into a four-lane bridge in the U.S. port of Baltimore in darkness early on Tuesday, causing it to collapse and sending cars and people plunging into the river below.

Rescuers pulled out two survivors, one in very serious condition, and were searching for more in the Patapsco River after huge spans of the 1.6-mile (2.57 km) Francis Scott Key Bridge crumpled into the water.

Baltimore officials said at least seven people were believed to have been thrown into the water but could not give an exact figure hours after the collision, which closed one of the busiest ports in the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported the collapse at 1:27 a.m. and crews were deployed for an active search and rescue mission after the Singapore-flagged container ship forced the trellis-like bridge up into a mangled mass of metal.

President Joe Biden was being briefed on the collision and there was no indication of nefarious intent, the White House said.

Work crews had been on the bridge at the time of the collapse and sonar detected vehicles under the water, which was about 50 feet deep at that point, said Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland secretary of transportation.

Jayme Krause was in the midst of another night shift at her workplace on shore when the cart of packages in front of her shook violently at around 2 a.m. A coworker told her the bridge had collapsed and she ran out to look.

"I went over there, and sure as anything, it was gone, the whole bridge was just like, there was nothing there," she told Reuters in an interview. "It was a shocking sight to see."

The ship "lost propulsion" as it was leaving port, and crew on board notified Maryland officials they had lost control of the vessel, ABC News reported, citing an unclassified U.S. intelligence report.

Traffic was suspended at the Port of Baltimore until further notice, Maryland transportation authorities said. It is the busiest U.S. port for car shipments, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2022, according to port data.

The closure of one of the U.S. East Coast's major ports threatens to disrupt supplies of goods from cars, to coal and other commodities like sugar. It could create bottlenecks and increase delays and costs on the Northeastern seaboard, experts say. The port handles the most car imports and is among the largest for coal exports.

The ship was identified as the Dali, owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and managed by Synergy Marine Corp. Synergy said the Dali collided with one of the pillars of the bridge and that all its crew members, including the two pilots, had been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described a scene of twisted metal shooting into the sky. "It was something out of an action movie. It was something you never thought you'd see," he said.

Kevin Cartwright, the spokesperson for Baltimore City Fire Department, earlier told Reuters that as many as 20 people could be in the river along with cars and possibly a tractor-trailer.

"This is a mass-casualty, multi-agency event," he said. "This operation is going to extend for many days."

A live video posted on YouTube showed the ship ploughing into the bridge in darkness. The headlights of vehicles could be seen on the bridge as it crashed into the water and the ship caught fire.

Tuesday's disaster may be the worst U.S. bridge collapse since 2007 when the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13.

It was the first major collapse of a bridge from a ship impact in about 40 or 50 years, David Knight, a specialist at the Institution of Civil Engineers, told Reuters.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency to quickly deploy federal resources to deal with the emergency. The FBI in Baltimore said on X its personnel were on the scene.

It was not immediately clear if any other vessels had been damaged or whether operations had halted to and from the port, shipping and insurance sources said.

The Dali was chartered by shipping company Maersk at the time of the incident, the Danish company said in a statement.

"We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," Maersk said.

Baltimore port's private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to a Maryland government website.

The port handles imports and exports for major automakers including Nissan, Toyota, General Motors, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover and the Volkswagen group -- including luxury models for Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley.

More than 40 ships remained inside Baltimore port including small cargo ships, tug boats and pleasure craft, data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic showed. At least 30 other ships had signaled their destination was Baltimore, the data showed.

The bridge, named after Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner, opened in 1977.