No more ‘wasted’ Fridays and Sundays: Johoreans hail new weekend schedule as win-win for families and businesses

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Problems OVER FACILITATING FRIDAY PRAYERS&nbsp,

Some parts of Johor nation, however, have urged the government to retain the existing plan. &nbsp,

In a Facebook post, Pasir Gudang Hassan Abdul Karim, a part of the Parliament, claimed that Friday is a “holy time” in Islam that the Arab community is very fond of. In the southern Johor area is Pasir Gudang.

The recent Friday-Saturday weekends, he said, has cultural and historical significance and the looming change” seems to reject Johor’s understanding of its own culture and political background”. &nbsp,

” Johor was part of the Unfederated Malay States … and in these states, the weekend rest days are on Fridays and Saturdays”, said the politician, who is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s party, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR ). &nbsp,

The five unfederated Asian state were Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu. These states were granted this status before independence because they were independent, American guarded states with distinct organizations from the rest of the nation. &nbsp,

Now, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu observe Friday and Saturday as standard trip relaxation time.

Mr Hassan said that for most of Johor’s past, weekends have been observed on Friday-Saturday. When former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin became the state’s main minister in 1994, the state just switched its vacation to Saturday and Sunday. &nbsp,

Then in 2014, the express shifted to a Friday-Saturday weekends to help Muslims to accomplish their prayer, as decreed by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar. In Islam, Friday prayers are required for Muslim people. &nbsp,

In his Oct. 7 announcement, Johor regent Tunku Ismail stated that he has assigned Johor’s emir Yahya Ahmad and deputy secretary Onn Hafiz Ghazi to “discuss and examine every angle and aspect of this matter.”

He continued,” I hope that the government, the private sector, and related parties give Muslim workers enough time and space to practice their Friday prayers accordingly.”

The governor said in a new statement on Thursday night ( October 10 ), that the decision to move the weekend was taken into account by Johoreans ‘ desire to spend more time with their families as well as the state’s economy.

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Inside Felicia Chin and Jeffrey Xu’s 4-room HDB flat, a cosy home for a celebrity couple

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A funny popup poster frame, similar to those in movie theaters, gives the space a playful feel. Now featuring Up, one of Felicia’s favourite movies, Jeffrey said it will immediately be swapped for Inside Out, her latest addiction.

Storage in the living space is another useful work. Built-in, floor-to-ceiling cabinets, which came with the house, houses Jeffrey’s set of clothing. He sneeringly admitted that his set has fallen to 100 because he now shares cabinet space with Felicia and was once known to have over 300 sets.

To personalise the room more, they swapped out one of the cabinet windows for a bamboo board, adding a subtle Japanese style. ” The bamboo helps with air for the boots”, Jeffrey explained.

A CREATIVITY ROOM FOR Ideas

The” creativity area” is one of the most unique places in the residence, and the living room connects to it. The couple uses this tranquil setting, which was created with a movable coffee table and a raised tatami mat floor, to recharge and build. ” This is where we do artistic and inspiring points– listening to music, reading, or perhaps colouring”, Felicia shared.

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CNA Explains: Are landlines still relevant?

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Mr. Oo cited a situation in 2013 where a fire at a SingTel facility caused essential services to be lost, including for clients of various telcos. &nbsp,

There seemed to be a lack of circumstances in that case, he said, and also so in this year’s disturbance.

For essential services and facilities, there should be reliability, he said, referring to the process of intentionally having copies so a program is more dependable.

” If you have duplication, you should not come down for three days, right? You should be able to quickly move over”, he said. ” Reliability means that you’re constantly on”.

The&nbsp, Infocomm Media Development Authority ( IMDA ) has started investigations into the disruption. It can impose a financial penalty of up to S$ 1 million ( US$ 766, 000 ) or 10 per cent of the annual turnover of Singtel, whichever is higher.

What’s the potential for handsets?

Additionally, Asst. Prof. Purnima cited an IMDA report from June that recommended connections between ISDN facilities and “next generation systems”.

In the event of ISDN disruptions, Internet equipment may act as an automatic backup once it is in place.

CNA has inquired with IMDA when this will start.

On circumstances, the expert said in a statement even sent to other advertising that Singapore’s sites provide communication across words, mobile, broadband, Wi-Fi and messaging through various service companies. ” This variety is a vital part of our system resilience”, a spokeswoman said. &nbsp,

In contrast, StarHub has stated in a part of its site that ISDN and Public Switched Telephone Network services will become disabled in 2025.

CNA has contacted IMDA to get this assurance.

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Lee Hsien Yang and wife have ‘always been free to return to Singapore’: SPF

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SINGAPORE: Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Mrs Lee Suet Fern are free to return to Singapore, the Singapore Police Force ( SPF ) said on Friday ( Oct 11 ).

There is nothing stopping Mr. and Mrs. Lee from returning after they made the decision to abstain from a scheduled officers meeting in 2022.

The authorities confirm that there are no legal constraints on Mr. Lee Hsien Yang and Mrs. Lee Suet Fern’s return to Singapore in response to media inquiries. They are and have always been free to return to Singapore”, SPF said in a speech.

In June 2022, the authorities asked both Mr. and Mrs. Lee to help with investigations by holding interviews. They had first agreed, but ultimately failed to appear for the exam, and they later left Singapore on June 15, 2022, and have not yet returned.

The police said in a clarity statement released in March 2023 that they had requested that Mr. and Mrs. Lee appear at the interview because there might be a charge of fabricating evidence in a criminal proceeding involving Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s will.

As the couple were” cooperative” and agreed to be interviewed, an order requesting their attendance before the police under Section 21 ( 1 ) of the Criminal Procedure Code was not issued, SPF said at the time.

In response to questions from CNA on Wednesday, Mr. Lee had stated that he would not be traveling back to Singapore to enter her death and awake following the passing of his sister, Dr. Lee Wei Ling.

According to Ling,” I am arranging the funeral electronically with the assistance of my brother Huanwu” with his help.

” I will not be returning to Singapore for both”, he added.

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4 people arrested; 257 bottles of contraband liquor, 2 distillery machines seized in Singapore Customs raids

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A group of 12 members of the media gathered in two vans with staff from the Singapore Customs at around 9pm on Tuesday ( October 8 ). &nbsp,

We just knew that there had been an police operation on duty-unpaid alcohol and that we had no idea where we were going. &nbsp,

Although these things happen frequently, this was the first moment the internet had been invited to watch one. &nbsp,

CNA noticed a truck had been cordoned off at the loading/unloading bay when it came up under a Housing Board ( HDB) block in the Jurong West neighborhood. &nbsp,

Customs officials flanked the car, inspecting boxes of illicit liquor.

A total of 129 bottles, each containing two gallons of variety, a clear Chinese spirit with a 56 % alcohol content, were discovered in the rear as well as under the front passenger seats of a vehicle used to deliver the contraband goods.

These were one of the 257 containers that Singapore Customs said in a press release on Friday that were seized during police operations at various locations against purveyors and buyers earlier this year. Around 668.5 L of unpaid duty-free alcohol was seized overall.

During the course of the operation, the vehicle and two distillery equipment were likewise seized. &nbsp,

The total estimated duty and GST evaded amounted to about$ 35, 932 ( US$ 27, 521 ), Singapore Customs said.

A 42-year-old Malaysian woman and two adult Chinese nationals were detained for delivering illegal alcohol.

A 45-year-old Taiwanese person was also arrested for collecting duty-unpaid wine in his house, said Singapore Customs, adding that investigations are ongoing.

From January to June this time, there have been 869 duty-unpaid wine criminals, according to statistics provided by the conventions. &nbsp,

During this period, a overall level of 10, 020L of illegal wine were seized. &nbsp,

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New approved designs for electric harbour craft to be released by the end of 2024

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TAILOR-MADE FOR SHALLOW WATERS, NAVIGATION NEEDS

There are currently just six electronic warships in Singapore that are operating in spite of these new rules.

To place more weather in these sails, the government’s sea authorities are working with universities, as well as selected local and multinational firms, to come up with a typical set of electronic vehicle designs that meet Singapore’s standards.

It will also produce large manufacturing easier and, in turn, bring down costs.

Harbourcraft include vessels that do n’t cross into Singapore’s waters, such as those that transport people to nearby islands like Pulau Ubin.

These light-weight customer craft are made for short, frequent visits.

Another design factors include bottom conditions, weighty sea traffic, and humid weather that could immediately degrade the hulls of vessels.

Dr Narasimalu Srikanth, who is leading the design initiative, told CNA that harbour create– especially smaller ones – have to be tailor-made to accommodate Singapore’s navigation requirements and deep waters at its ports.

” Secondly, to achieve faster speed and low energy footprint- in order to do that, you have to go for lighter vessels”, said the programme director of renewables and low-carbon generation ( wind and marine ) at Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute.

” For example, you can see MPA looks at lightweight aluminium bodies or composite bodies”, he added.

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More GPs, polyclinics trained to provide mental health services in national well-being push

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EASIER ACCESS TO MENTAL Care

Family doctors Mark Yap claimed that those with mental health issues may feel more motivated to request help by bringing these services close to people’s homes.

Patients may feel more at ease at a clinic, rather than going to the Institute of Mental Health ( IMH), which could prompt fears of being stigmatised, Dr Yap added.

The GP, who works at Cashew Medical and Surgery in Bukit Panjang, said:” By decentralizing it, by getting Satellite as lovers, it may go a long way to support destigmatise emotional health and help more people to get help in a timely manner.”

As early detection and treatment can lead to protection, according to Associate Professor Swapna Verma, it is crucial to establish mental health services in the community.

” Early treatment makes a big difference to recovery”, the president of IMH’s health board told CNA’s Singapore Tonight program.

People may get help first, and that would stop their condition from getting worse, and from requiring hospitalization or specialist care, according to the statement.

Group SUPPORT

Also, individuals who are at risk of developing mental health conditions can seek out support from community outreach teams. &nbsp,

For those presenting mild symptoms, GPs may work with community action teams to supply assessment, mental medical intervention, counselling and medical treatment.

By 2030, the Ministry of Health ( MOH) aims to expand the number of outreach teams and intervention teams to 90 and 50 respectively, including 15 teams each for students.

The Singapore Association for Mental Health ( SAMH) is one of the many social service organizations that are involved in these community initiatives. &nbsp,

The non-profit offers counseling both online and on-site at nine places in Singapore and conducts group education and outreach activities on mental wellbeing.

Art treatment, in which participants express and process their thoughts and emotions through artwork, is one of its innovative medical intervention programs.

A unique piece of artwork from 12 boys about how social and early experiences have shaped their mental well-being is now being displayed at the SAMH Space2Connect center along Maude Road.

The students were given a three-month process of creating art, led by the agency’s senior director Ngo Lee Yian, who was trained in art therapy.

” They try to access their thoughts, how they have gone through their childhood, and they came up with the different art approaches to show themselves”, she said.

Protective MENTAL HEALTH

According to MOH’s most recent mental health review in 2016, at least one in seven people in Singapore has a psychological problem.

The best common mental health issues Singaporeans experience include major depressive disorder, depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder.

Assoc Prof Verma said problems have arisen over the rising prevalence of mental disease, particularly following the COVID-19 crisis, and especially among students.

” Maybe, people still view it as a specific weakness, or they believe that people with mental illnesses are dangerous,” they said. That creates a lot of discrimination. She said that the person who has a mental condition waits to seek help because of how society views him or her.

She continued, stating that knowledge is essential to earlier detection.

She added that by promoting mental health education in students and families, they will be more likely to recognize symptoms in their peers or family members and encourage them to get help.

” With understanding comes understanding and usability. We need a society with more mental health literacy, ( which ) then becomes more understanding and inclusive”, said Assoc Prof Verma.

MOH stated that it will continue to work on emotional health initiatives to improve youth resilience, create visible first-stop contact points, and address workplace mental health issues.

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Postpartum confinement care: Should a new mum stay in a confinement centre or get home help after birth?

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Great news for parents-to-be, parents get Government-Paid Paternity Keep – now two days, and doubling to four months from April 1, 2025 – allowing husbands to be around for the incarceration time.

There is also Shared Familial Left, which must be taken within your boy’s first time. This is now four days, and it will raise to six months starting on April 1, 2025, and then to 10 days starting on April 1, 2026.

THE Professionals

Confinement food distribution. This reduces the strain of grilling and preparing food. Besides ensuring your foods are healthy, some companies even offer bird’s nest and lactation cookies as add-ons.

Total freedom. You have complete freedom to make the decisions you think are best for you and your kitten while you’re in confinement. No more walking in hair washing when your confinement nanny or mother is busy.

THE Drawbacks

Steep learning curve. With no previous knowledge, new moms ( or new families ) may conflict with caring for a kid.

Insufficient relaxation. Trying to control everything, from baby attention to keeping home is not easy. If you have older children to care for and old kids to care for, it could be worse. And while you might be able to function without the lack of sleep, having inadequate sleep may have an impact on your shoulder milk supply.

Marriage problems. A delicate and demanding time for first-time families, it can eventually result in conflicts. Perhaps you’re an expert parent, having a fresh child changes the family and marital dynamic.

Finally, have reasonable aspirations if you’re going DIY, said Cordeiro. Your expertise may be very different from what you read, see, and have been told by friends, and the property will become sloppy. But simply accept it and do everything in your power.

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Malaysia’s MyJPJ app U-turn is latest policy reversal to hurt public confidence in government

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Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, an independent political analyst, reported to CNA that Malaysia’s policy changes have eroded people trust in the government and lacked confidence in national programs and plans.

The “low amount” of licenses for PADU, he said, referring to Malaysia’s key information gateway, which aims to collect comprehensive income data from all Malaysians to enable the precise targeting of state subsidies, could be seen in this.

29 million Malay had a first-class voluntary registration date of March 31 as the government’s initial target. But a slower rate of sign-ups, compounded by security concerns and claims of a faith gap, compelled the government to reduce its objective to 11 million, or quarter of Malaysia’s adult people. &nbsp,

After enrollment closed on Mar 31, PADU’s full admission including children stood at 17.65 million, reported the Malay Mail.

” The new legislation setbacks, such as MyDigital ID and people, are reinforcing the public’s belief that the Anwar management is no different from previous administrations”, Mr Asrul Hadi added.

During the COVID-19 epidemic under then-premier Muhyiddin Yassin’s management, Malay were riled away by what they perceived as regular flip-flops in laws.

Work-from-home guidelines were included in these, as well as what products food and convenience stores may offer during the lockdown.

The more recent reversals, according to Prof. Said Bani, give the impression of inconsistent legislation execution and transparency, which have an impact on public confidence in digitalization efforts.

” From a communication perspective, these U-turns can be seen as indicative of a reactive method, which may indicate to the community that there is a lack of cooperation and clearness within the president’s policymaking procedure”, he said.

” The general public may question whether extensive planning and due diligence are being followed constantly, especially when policies are introduced and then quickly reversed,” the statement says.

WHY U-TURNS HAPPEN

According to Dr. Ong, the common thread in policy U-turns is that the politicians lack sufficient “hands on and minds on” when it comes to coverage design and implementation.

Before such policies are implemented to a wider audience, especially in areas that could possibly affect a larger number of users, a policymaker who has this sort of understanding may ask for proof of concepts, pilot initiative rollouts, and pressure testing, he said.

Mr. Asrul Hadi pointed out that this problem has persisted throughout various Malaysian administrations, which have released “grand blueprints” that have n’t been effectively communicated to the officials who are expected to implement the policy.

” Additionally, there is criticism regarding the lack of active engagement with the industry and the public when implementing policies”, he said.

This has resulted in a lack of caution regarding potential public outcry and unsatisfactory policy implementation, which has resulted in reverses or U-turns by the federal government.

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Free Marine Parade shuttle bus routes see starkly different levels of ridership

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SINGAPORE: Ridership on some routes, with some having close to zero people at times, while others have more than 20 passengers, is strikingly different for a free shuttle bus services for Marine Parade residents. &nbsp,

A spokeswoman for the Marine Parade grassroots organizations responded to CNA’s questions by saying that the company has seen” steady consumption across most pathways.” &nbsp,

However, the program will be refined based on ridership data and citizens ‘ comments. Before the end of the year, schedule or pathways may be changed, the spokesperson said.

The Marine Parade GRC, MacPherson SMC, and Mountbatten SMC people were the first to take advantage of the one-year pilot program that the company ran on July 8.

CNA writers spent about three weeks talking with people on their comments on four of the seven routes that were offered to residents to examine the service’s reputation over the course of two weeks.

The service, which would cost S$ 1 million ( US$ 776, 000 ) &nbsp, a year&nbsp, to operate, is funded by a&nbsp, S$ 200, 000 one-off grant from the South East Community Development Council ( CDC ) with the rest coming from donations raised by the CDC and the Marine Parade grassroots organisations. &nbsp,

Alvin Tan, the Minister of State for Culture, Community, and Youth, told parliament in August that the Marine Parade city swarm will eventually need to increase its own funds to cover the full value of the procedure, with “many aspects of the service to evaluate and to enhance” through the one-year pilot. He added that other CDCs had first research the outcomes and experiences of the captain before starting related efforts.

Under the captain, the seven roads run across Braddell Heights, MacPherson, Mountbatten, Geylang Serai, Kembangan-Chai Chee, Marine Parade&nbsp, and Joo Chiat, with cars calling at services such as polyclinics, stalls areas and MRT facilities.

According to CNA reporters, two routes had close to zero passengers on some days, while others were significantly more popular because the buses were only half full on morning and lunchtimes. Additionally, they discovered that ridership typically peaks in the morning and decreases in the afternoon. &nbsp,

The service is targeted at the non-working crowd and runs during off-peak hours – 10am to 4pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays. &nbsp,

Each route has between five and seven stops and spans a 35- to more than an hour loop.

Residents can sign up for a card to use the shuttle service by downloading the TongTar Riders app or by visiting a local community club. &nbsp,

To board the bus, they will need to tap their card or scan the barcode provided by the app.

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