Sexuality education: Materials to be online soon

May 25, 2009

Sexuality education

Materials to be online soon

		Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Sunday that parents, from June or July, can have access to the materials and sit in on their children's sexuality education classes in school. -- PHOTO: BH

THE Ministry of Education (MOE) is making its materials on sexuality education more accessible by publishing them online.

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Sunday that parents, from June or July, can have access to the materials and sit in on their children's sexuality education classes in school. If they are uncomfortable with what is being taught, they can pull their children out of the classes.

Quote Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday parents, from June/July, can have access to them and sit in on the sexuality education classes in school. If they are uncomfortable with what is being taught, they can pull their children out of the classes.

MOE's sexuality education materials have actually been available since 2000.

Dr Ng told reporters the materials had been sold at bookshops and made into VCDs and DVDs, but they had not been 'very interesting for the parents'. He felt it was a 'good opportunity' to relaunch the materials, make them more available and put them online.

He was speaking at a community event on Sunday morning where he reaffirmed his ministry's commitment to being open about what schools were teaching regarding sexuality and that parents could decide if they wanted their children to be involved in the programme.

He was addressing about 300 residents and grassroots leaders at a dialogue at the Nanyang Community Centre in Jurong West.

During the session, one resident raised the issue of sexuality education taught in schools.

The issue was thrust into the spotlight following some parents' concerns about sexuality education courses offered in schools by external vendors.

On Sunday, Dr Ng reiterated the importance of parents in their children's sexuality education, though many were uncomfortable about it.

He told the audience: 'If parents are willing to teach their children about sexuality education, please go ahead. Then my schools don't have to do it. But I know parents - I'm a parent - some of you are very shy.'

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STTA gets new CEO

May 25, 2009

STTA gets new CEO

		Ms Wong Hui Leng (left) has been appointed as STTA's new CEO to replace outgoing Chew Soo Sheng. --PHOTO: STTA

THE Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) has appointed Ms Wong Hui Leng as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to replace outgoing Chew Soo Sheng.

Ms Wong's appointment ends a two-month search for a suitable candidate, the association said in a press statement on Monday.

Ms Wong is no stranger to sport and the table tennis scene having served as STTA's General Manager from March 2000 to July 2005. She has also worked at the Singapore Badminton Association as its Finance and Corporate Services Manager.

She will join the association in August while Mr Chew is expected to leave STTA in late August.

Praising the contributions of the outgoing CEO, STTA President Lee Bee Wah said: 'Soo Sheng joined STTA in October 2008 as CEO to put in place systems and processes to professionalise the way STTA was run.

'Soo Sheng brought on board a leadership profile which was needed at that point in time of STTA's transition - a strategic management approach to review STTA's management systems, processes and high performance operations,' Ms Lee is quoted as saying in the STTA statement.

'We had an implicit understanding with Soo Sheng at the time of his appointment that he would come in and lay this foundation for growth before we bring on board someone new to carry on the next phase of growth.'

In March, Mr Chew indicated that he would like to return to running his business full time now that his task has been completed.

'The Management Committee agreed that Soo Sheng had performed very well and delivered all the objectives set out for him in a short span of time,' Ms Lee said.

Among his contributions: he revamped the local competition framework and competition formats to encourage broad based participation and enable early talent spotting, re-aligned zone centres, youth development squad, National Youth Team and the National Team and re-organised and rationalised the local talent and Youth Development pathway, starting from zone centres leading to national team.

Mr Chew, who will continue to serve the STTA in a voluntary capacity, said: 'I appreciate and value the guidance and support given to me by the various Management Committee members, staff and especially Bee Wah. Their strong support enabled me to execute these key initiatives swiftly.

'It is time for me to pass on the baton.'

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Students saw Widjaja jump

May 25, 2009

NTU STUDENT WHO FELL TO HIS DEATH

Students saw Widjaja jump

By Sujin Thomas
		Mr Lin-Zhenxing (left), also a final year student of the School of Electrical and Electronic Enginneering, was waiting for the lift on the 4th floor of the Research Techno Plaza when he saw Widjaja. -- ST PHOTO: WONG WAI CHOW

A FELLOW student witnessed a bloodied Nanyang Technological University (NTU) David Hartanto Widjaja jump off the roof of a link-bridge and captured the final moments on his mobile phone, a coroner's court heard on Monday.

Mr Lin-Zhenxing, also a final year student of the School of Electrical and Electronic Enginneering, was waiting for the lift on the 4th floor of the Research Techno Plaza, with a project mate at about 10.30 am on March 2 when he saw Widjaja, 21, on top of the glass roof of a bridge linking the school and the techno building.

In his eight-second video footage which was tendered in court, the 'shaky and slightly grainy' footage showed a person who 'appears' to be the Indonesian student sitting on the bridge roof. His right arm and legs were oozing blood, and his shorts and front of his Tee-shirt were blood-soaked.

The video clip showed him looking down, then towards his right. Mr Lin stopped recording after eight seconds as he needed the mobile phone to call the campus security guard. When he was about to end the call, he saw Widjaja jump four floors down.

The filmlet was extracted from Mr Lin's cellphone memory card and given to police after the shocking death fall, which occurred shortly after Widjaja allegedly attacked his final year project supervisor Professor Chan Kap Luk, 45, during what was to have been a discussion on the student's work.

Mr Lin also demonstrated how Widjaja pushed himself off the bridge, using a swivel chair in the coroner's court on Monday morning.

Four other students and laboratory staff also took the witness stand on Monday, giving their accounts of how Widjaja clambered onto the roof of the bridge and pushing himself off.

During a break at Monday's inquiry into the student's death, Widjaja's father and brother told The Straits Times that they do not believe that the man in the video clip was Widjaja.

Asked why, they said the footage was not clear and the body shape of the man did not look like Widjaja's. Mr Hartono, Widjaja, 56, said he intends to engage a forensic specialist to look at the video footage.

The inquiry continues.

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Chia Ti Lik in procession fined

May 25, 2009

2 in procession fined

By Elena Chong
		Chia Ti Lik (left) was fined for taking part in an assembly and procession without a permit with more than a dozen people last year. --PHOTO: ST

A LAWYER and a housewife were fined on Monday for taking part in an assembly and procession without a permit with more than a dozen people last year.

Chia Ti Lik, 35, and Surayah Akbar, 26, had been on trial with 12 others for 13 days before they decided to plead guilty. Chia was fined $800 on each of the two offences commited on March 15, 2008, while Surayan was fined a total of $1,200.

They are the fifth and sixth persons to plead guilty while the trial against the remaining 13 is on-going.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Isaac Tan said no one was permitted to hold any assembly or procession consisting of two or more persons within a specified area.

The Singapore Democratic Party planned to stage a protest rally at Parliament House that day but its application was rejected. Despite this, SDP went ahead with the assembly to protest against 'exploitative price hikes''.

Chia and Surayah, dressed in red T-shirts, took part in the assembly with the other co-accused.

During the assembly, Chia and other participants spoke and shouted slogans. Five of the co-accused also held up placards during the assembly. Police warned them to stop and disperse as they had gathered without a permit.

Despite the warning, Chia and the rest, except for one, held a procession from Parliament House drive-way to Funan DigitaLife Mall down the road, holding their placards as they walked towards the mall.

The participants ignored a further warning by police to cease their procession and stop displaying the placards.

The other four who have been fined $1,200 each are: Ng E-Jay, 31, Jeffrey George, 45, Muhammad Jufri Mohd Salim, 26, and Govinda Rajan Surian, 46. Jufri did not pay the fine and served an eight-day jail sentence while Rajan's appeal against sentence is pending.

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Nuke test a 'threat': Obama

May 25, 2009

N.KOREA CONDUCTS NUCLEAR TEST

Nuke test a 'threat': Obama

Obama says tests 'recklessly challenge international community'

Second nuclear test follows one in Oct 2006

Pyongyang says needs nuclear arsenal in hostile world

		Mr Obama (left) said: 'North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community.' --PHOTO: AFP

WASHINGTON - US PRESIDENT Barack Obama said on Monday that North Korea's nuclear and missile tests were a 'matter of grave concern to all nations' and warranted action by the international community.

Mr Obama, in a statement after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test and reportedly fired a short-range missile, said: 'North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community. North Korea's behaviour increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia.'

VIDEO N. Korea holds nuclear test (2:10)

The nuclear test was Pyongyang's second - its first was in Oct 2006 - and came just two months after North Korea launched a rocket believed to be a test of its long-range missile capability. Pyongyang said it had put a communications satellite into space.

'North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile programme, constitute a threat to international peace and security,' said Mr Obama, adding that Washington would work through the UN Security Council and the six-party talks on North Korea to address the issue.

'North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile programme, constitute a threat to international peace and security,' he said.

A US State Department official said earlier the United States was still analysing data from the test. The (US) Geological Survey confirmed that a seismic event took place consistent with a test, the official said on condition of anonymity.

'We are consulting with our six-party and UN Security Council partners on next steps,' the official added. Under the so-called 'six-party' talks among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, North Korea committed in 2005 to abandon all its nuclear programmes.

North Korea said it successfully conducted a nuclear test on Monday, a move certain to further isolate the prickly state, which argues it has no choice but to build an atomic arsenal to protect itself in a hostile world.

The latest test follows years of on-off negotiations with regional powers, which have been pressing the impoverished state to give up its nuclear ambitions in return for massive aid and an end to the country's pariah status. -- REUTERS

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N.Korea conducts nuclear tests: Security Council to meet

May 25, 2009

N.Korea conducts nuclear tests

Security Council to meet

		The meeting was requested by Japan's UN Ambassador Yukio Takasu following a North Korean claim that it had conducted a nuclear test. --PHOTO: AP

UNITED NATIONS - THE UN Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss North Korea's claim of a nuclear test, the Japanese UN mission said.

'The time of the urgent meeting is planned tomorrow afternoon,' the mission said in a statement released late on Sunday in New York.

The meeting was requested by Japan's UN Ambassador Yukio Takasu following a North Korean claim that it had conducted a nuclear test.

Pyongyang said it staged a successful underground nuclear test which was more powerful than its previous test in 2006, followed later by an apparent short-range missile launch.

'It is absolutely unacceptable,' said Japan's top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura, as Prime Minister Taro Aso set up a special crisis task force. 'Japan will take stern action against North Korea.'

Added Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone in Hanoi after meeting South Korean counterpart Yu Myung Hwan. 'It is an act that we can never tolerate... We, as the only atomic-bombed nation, need to take stern action.'

Japan quickly asked UN Security Council chair Russia to open an emergency meeting, and the Japanese UN mission said later a meeting had been scheduled for Monday afternoon local time in New York.

In Vienna, a UN-backed international committee preparing a nuclear test ban treaty said on Monday that North Korea's announcement that it carried out a nuclear test should be 'universally condemned'.

'Today's nuclear test claimed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) constitutes a threat to international peace and security and to the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime,' Tibor Toth, executive secretary of the preparatory committee for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation said in a statement.

'I am gravely concerned by this action. In particular, it is a serious violation of the norm established by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and as such deserves universal condemnation.'

The CTBT has been signed by 180 countries, but to come into effect it still needs ratification by nine key holdouts including China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States. -- AFP

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N.KOREA CONDUCTS NUCLEAR TEST: Warns of more tests

May 25, 2009

N.KOREA CONDUCTS NUCLEAR TEST

Warns of more tests

		North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex near Pyongyang. -- PHOTO: KOREA HERALD

MOSCOW - NORTH Korea could carry out more nuclear tests if the United States continues attempts to intimidate Pyongyang, Itar-Tass news agency quoted an unidentified official in North Korea's embassy in Moscow as saying.

The source said new nuclear tests would take place 'if the United States and its allies continue the policy of intimidation against North Korea', Tass reported.

VIDEO N. Korea holds nuclear test (2:10) S.Korea military forms crisis team after nuke test report SEOUL - SOUTH Korea's military on Monday formed a 'crisis management' team of general-level officers after North Korea announced it had carried out a nuclear test, the defence ministry said. 'Top military officials led by the defence minister are holding an emergency meeting after forming a crisis management team,' a ministry spokesman said. ... more S.Korean markets hit SEOUL - SEOUL stocks fell sharply and the won slipped against the dollar on concerns North Korea's nuclear test early on Monday could sap investor confidence in the South Korean markets and economy. The main Seoul stock market's benchmark KOSPI fell 2.22 per cent by 0326 GMT (1126 Singapore time), although recouping much of its early more than 6 per cent dip. The won was down 1 per cent on the day at 1,259.9 per dollar. ... more

North Korea said it successfully conducted a nuclear test on Monday, a move certain to further isolate the prickly state, which argues it has no choice but to build an atomic arsenal to protect itself in a hostile world.

It also defiantly declared that it carried out a powerful underground nuclear test - a major provocation less than two months after launching a rocket widely believed to be a test of its long-range missile technology.

North Korea, incensed by UN Security Council condemnation of its April 5 rocket launch, had warned last month that it would restart it rogue nuclear programme, conduct an atomic test and carry out long-range missile tests.

On Monday, the country's official Korean Central News Agency said the regime 'successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of measures to bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defence'.

The regime boasted that the test was conducted 'on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control' than one carried out in 2006.

Russia, which shares a short border with North Korea, confirmed its facilities detected a nuclear test in northeastern North Korea, the ITAR-Tass news agency said, citing an unnamed Russian Defense Ministry official.

In Washington, a US counter-proliferation official said there was reason to believe North Korea had conducted a nuclear test. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Monday's tests raise the stakes in the tense international standoff over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

'If North Korea carried out a nuclear test, it would clearly violate UN Security Council resolutions,' chief government spokesman Takeo Kawamura told reporters in Tokyo. 'We will definitely not tolerate it.'

Japan will request an emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea, Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka said, according to the Kyodo news agency. -- AP

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