THE elderly can now get a mobile phone designed to cater to their needs at a discounted price.
The Singapore-made iNO Mobile SOS F12 features extra-large buttons for easy dialling, and an emergency button.
When this SOS button is pressed, the phone will send out text alerts with information on where its user is to up to five pre-programmed mobile numbers, and emit a siren that can be heard up to 20m away to alert those nearby.
The phone, which has a basic 2-megapixel camera and can double as an FM radio and torch, will be sold at $138 without contract, phone-maker Foresight Technologies said yesterday.
The handset will be available exclusively at StarHub outlets from Saturday, with the operator throwing in a free $15 pre-paid card.
The phone will also be available for free with all but its cheapest one-year post-paid plan.
If the mobile plan has overseas roaming, it will be able to send SMS alerts with the user's location when the user is in Malaysia, Thailand, and four major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.
StarHub's head of sales and marketing Ng Long Shyang said that the companies wanted to help older users who might have trouble with the smaller keys and displays of regular mobile phones, benefit from mobile technology.
While not a wholly charity project, Foresight's managing director Kenneth Lau said any profits generated would be 'minimal'.
He expects to sell 30,000 handsets.
Ms Cai Ping Kai, a volunteer at the Kreta Ayer Seniors Activity Centre (Kasac), said the handset is a good way to help older users who may be fearful of technology.
As part of the phone launch, the companies have donated 100 handsets to the centre.
Jalan Besar MP Lily Neo will be giving handsets away at a National Day dinner organised by the Kasac tonight.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_564598.html
Monday, August 16, 2010
Individuals gave more to charity - StraitsTimes - 11 Aug 2010
Recession, tax break may have encouraged people to donate more
By Melissa Sim
EVEN with the worst recession since independence, Singaporeans did not shrink from giving to the less fortunate, and if anything, dug even deeper to help.
The Commissioner of Charities' (COC) latest annual report showed that tax-deductible individual donations last year reached $240 million, a 13.7 per cent increase over $211 million in 2008.
Charity sector players said donors may have been moved to give more because they felt others were more badly off, given last year's layoffs and pay cuts.
An increase in tax exemptions on donations, from 200 to 250 per cent, could have made giving more attractive too.
In contrast, corporate tax-deductible donations dropped from $476 million in 2008 to $447 million last year. The COC report said this was likely due to 'the financial turmoil in the past year'.
Ms Debbie Seah, chief executive of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, said donations to the charity, which helps fulfil the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses, hit a record $2 million last year.
'The public seemed more sympathetic, and those who still had their jobs knew that charities and other people needed more support,' she said.
The tax deduction meant that for every $10 donated to an Institution of a Public Character (IPC), $25 of a donor's taxable income would not be taxed. It was up from $20 previously.
It is an incentive for more people to donate, said Ms Ang Bee Lian, chief executive of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), noting: 'The donors are taxed less, so they have the capacity to give more if they wish to.'
The IPC status is given to groups whose activities benefit the Singapore community as a whole, and they must post their key financial and non-financial information online.
There were 532 IPCs as of December last year, compared with 504 the year before, mainly in the social services sector.
Tax-deductible donations remained around the same at about $687 million, below the record $820 million collected in 2007, during an economic boom. The money went to three main sectors: Education (32.1 per cent), Social Services (29.3 per cent) and Health (18.9 per cent).
Public generosity also extended to foreign causes, said the report. The amount raised last year is expected to be $25.6 million, up from the expected $17.6 million in 2008.
Singapore Red Cross secretary-general Christopher Chua said media reports helped to encourage donations.
Those in the sector said the public seemed to have shaken off past scandals involving mismanagement at high-profile charities such as the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and Ren Ci.
'People are coming forward again, and eager to donate. This is a good thing,' said NKF chairman Gerard Ee.
Charities seem to be complying with the Code of Governance for Charities and IPCs, launched in 2007.
NCSS said that most eligible IPCs and charities had submitted their governance evaluation checklists for the financial year 2009 and they showed that nearly all IPCs and three-quarters of charities had met governance standards.
'This is a boost in confidence for the sector,' said NCSS' Ms Ang.
The COC has also started a pilot SMS service to help the public verify the authenticity of fund-raising activities.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_564641.html
By Melissa Sim
EVEN with the worst recession since independence, Singaporeans did not shrink from giving to the less fortunate, and if anything, dug even deeper to help.
The Commissioner of Charities' (COC) latest annual report showed that tax-deductible individual donations last year reached $240 million, a 13.7 per cent increase over $211 million in 2008.
Charity sector players said donors may have been moved to give more because they felt others were more badly off, given last year's layoffs and pay cuts.
An increase in tax exemptions on donations, from 200 to 250 per cent, could have made giving more attractive too.
In contrast, corporate tax-deductible donations dropped from $476 million in 2008 to $447 million last year. The COC report said this was likely due to 'the financial turmoil in the past year'.
Ms Debbie Seah, chief executive of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, said donations to the charity, which helps fulfil the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses, hit a record $2 million last year.
'The public seemed more sympathetic, and those who still had their jobs knew that charities and other people needed more support,' she said.
The tax deduction meant that for every $10 donated to an Institution of a Public Character (IPC), $25 of a donor's taxable income would not be taxed. It was up from $20 previously.
It is an incentive for more people to donate, said Ms Ang Bee Lian, chief executive of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), noting: 'The donors are taxed less, so they have the capacity to give more if they wish to.'
The IPC status is given to groups whose activities benefit the Singapore community as a whole, and they must post their key financial and non-financial information online.
There were 532 IPCs as of December last year, compared with 504 the year before, mainly in the social services sector.
Tax-deductible donations remained around the same at about $687 million, below the record $820 million collected in 2007, during an economic boom. The money went to three main sectors: Education (32.1 per cent), Social Services (29.3 per cent) and Health (18.9 per cent).
Public generosity also extended to foreign causes, said the report. The amount raised last year is expected to be $25.6 million, up from the expected $17.6 million in 2008.
Singapore Red Cross secretary-general Christopher Chua said media reports helped to encourage donations.
Those in the sector said the public seemed to have shaken off past scandals involving mismanagement at high-profile charities such as the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and Ren Ci.
'People are coming forward again, and eager to donate. This is a good thing,' said NKF chairman Gerard Ee.
Charities seem to be complying with the Code of Governance for Charities and IPCs, launched in 2007.
NCSS said that most eligible IPCs and charities had submitted their governance evaluation checklists for the financial year 2009 and they showed that nearly all IPCs and three-quarters of charities had met governance standards.
'This is a boost in confidence for the sector,' said NCSS' Ms Ang.
The COC has also started a pilot SMS service to help the public verify the authenticity of fund-raising activities.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_564641.html
Two boys charged with breaking into flat - StraitsTimes - 10 Aug 2010
By Teh Joo Lin
TWO teenagers were brought before a district court yesterday morning for allegedly breaking into a flat and making off with $840 in valuables.
The boys, both 15, could not be named as they are juveniles.
They were said to have broken into a unit on the 13th floor of a housing block in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 on July 17.
Between 3am and 5.30am, the boys are said to have forced open an aluminium window grille and climbed through the window.
The loot, which was worth $840, included a wallet containing $140, two mobile phones and an iPod music player.
The court ordered the teens to be remanded at the boys' home for a week.
The police singled out youth crime as a key concern last week, when they released an assessment of the crime situation for the first half of this year.
One in four of the 8,653 people caught during this period were youth, who landed in trouble for crimes such as rioting and theft.
Those convicted of breaking into a home at night for theft can be jailed between two and 14 years.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_564064.html
TWO teenagers were brought before a district court yesterday morning for allegedly breaking into a flat and making off with $840 in valuables.
The boys, both 15, could not be named as they are juveniles.
They were said to have broken into a unit on the 13th floor of a housing block in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 on July 17.
Between 3am and 5.30am, the boys are said to have forced open an aluminium window grille and climbed through the window.
The loot, which was worth $840, included a wallet containing $140, two mobile phones and an iPod music player.
The court ordered the teens to be remanded at the boys' home for a week.
The police singled out youth crime as a key concern last week, when they released an assessment of the crime situation for the first half of this year.
One in four of the 8,653 people caught during this period were youth, who landed in trouble for crimes such as rioting and theft.
Those convicted of breaking into a home at night for theft can be jailed between two and 14 years.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_564064.html
Older MRT stations retrofitted with barrier-free facilities - StraitsTimes - 10 Aug 2010
WE THANK Mr Kevin Leong for his feedback on Tanjong Pagar station ('One of the most user-unfriendly stations'; July 31).
The chairlift was a temporary measure by SMRT to allow wheelchair-bound passengers access to Basement1, where the retail outlets are located, while a lift was being built. It has since been decommissioned as the lift has been completed.
We recognise the need to ensure that our MRT train stations cater to the elderly as well as less mobile commuters. As such, we have retrofitted the older stations along the North- South and East-West lines to accommodate barrier-free facilities, such as ramps and railings, wheelchair-accessible toilets and at least one barrier-free entrance inclusive of a lift.
For example, at the Tanjong Pagar station, a new entrance was constructed in June 2006 to provide barrier-free access directly to the station platform. With new developments coming up around Tanjong Pagar station, we will also work with the relevant authorities to integrate barrier-free access to the station.
We will continue to upgrade the stations and by next year, more than 70 per cent of our MRT stations will have at least two barrier-free access routes. For the newer stations along the Circle Line and the future Downtown Line, escalators will be provided on both sides of the passageways to cater to commuters entering and exiting the station.
Helen Lim (Ms)
Deputy Director, Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
Ms Bernadette Low
Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications
SMRT Corporation
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_564052.html
The chairlift was a temporary measure by SMRT to allow wheelchair-bound passengers access to Basement1, where the retail outlets are located, while a lift was being built. It has since been decommissioned as the lift has been completed.
We recognise the need to ensure that our MRT train stations cater to the elderly as well as less mobile commuters. As such, we have retrofitted the older stations along the North- South and East-West lines to accommodate barrier-free facilities, such as ramps and railings, wheelchair-accessible toilets and at least one barrier-free entrance inclusive of a lift.
For example, at the Tanjong Pagar station, a new entrance was constructed in June 2006 to provide barrier-free access directly to the station platform. With new developments coming up around Tanjong Pagar station, we will also work with the relevant authorities to integrate barrier-free access to the station.
We will continue to upgrade the stations and by next year, more than 70 per cent of our MRT stations will have at least two barrier-free access routes. For the newer stations along the Circle Line and the future Downtown Line, escalators will be provided on both sides of the passageways to cater to commuters entering and exiting the station.
Helen Lim (Ms)
Deputy Director, Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
Ms Bernadette Low
Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications
SMRT Corporation
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_564052.html
Hokkien Huay Kuan - an influential clan body - StraitsTimes - 7 Aug 2010
THE Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan shares the same origins as the 170-year-old Thian Hock Keng Temple in Telok Ayer Street, where early settlers from Fujian province paid homage and gave thanks to Mazu, the goddess of the seas, after their journey from China.
Preserved as a national monument since 1973, the temple was the meeting place for new Hokkien immigrants or xinke, as they were known in the old days.
Right from the start, the temple elders operated a clan association of sorts, providing much welcome help to the community and giving medical help, food and shelter to the homeless. They were the de facto leaders of the Chinese community, serving beyond the needs of their clansmen and helping to settle disputes among the different dialect groups.
In fact, the commemorative stele on the walls of the temple marking its establishment in 1840 uses the term tang ren (Chinese people) instead of min ren (Hokkien people) and calls it a 'meeting place of Chinese clan associations'.
The clan association was formally named Thian Hock Keng Hokkien Huay Kuan in 1916.
In the early 20th century, it tracked events in China closely and actively supported the 1911 Revolution that overthrew 267 years of Manchu rule and led to the formation of the Chinese Republic.
The association was registered as Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, a non-profit organisation under the Companies Act, only in 1937 after community leader and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee became its president.
It took over all properties belonging to the temple, which included five primary schools, a secondary school and a vast expanse of cemetery land. Today, it has assets worth more than $300 million.
When the Japanese invaded China in 1937, the clan leaders, notably Mr Tan Kah Kee, helped to raise funds to fight against the aggressors together with other Chinese community organisations here.
The Hokkien Huay Kuan made its mark in local history when its leader, Mr Tan Lark Sye, rallied the Chinese community here and elsewhere behind the building of Nanyang University.
Founded in 1953, it became the first and only Chinese-language university in South-east Asia. This allowed Chinese-medium students to pursue higher education after the communist takeover of China in 1949.
Under Mr Tan Lark Sye's leadership, the clan association donated 212ha of land in Jurong for the construction of the university. People from all walks of life - trishaw riders and dance hostesses to tycoons and shopkeepers - filled the coffers.
In later years, Nantah, as it is known, suffered falling enrolment as a result of changes in government education policies, which did away with Chinese-medium schools and made English the main language of instruction.
In 1980, the university merged with the then-University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore.
'Mr Tan Lark Sye was one of our most dedicated leaders who gave himself for the cause of the Chinese community,' says Mr Chua Thian Poh, the new Hokkien Huay Kuan's president.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Insight/Story/STIStory_563104.html
Preserved as a national monument since 1973, the temple was the meeting place for new Hokkien immigrants or xinke, as they were known in the old days.
Right from the start, the temple elders operated a clan association of sorts, providing much welcome help to the community and giving medical help, food and shelter to the homeless. They were the de facto leaders of the Chinese community, serving beyond the needs of their clansmen and helping to settle disputes among the different dialect groups.
In fact, the commemorative stele on the walls of the temple marking its establishment in 1840 uses the term tang ren (Chinese people) instead of min ren (Hokkien people) and calls it a 'meeting place of Chinese clan associations'.
The clan association was formally named Thian Hock Keng Hokkien Huay Kuan in 1916.
In the early 20th century, it tracked events in China closely and actively supported the 1911 Revolution that overthrew 267 years of Manchu rule and led to the formation of the Chinese Republic.
The association was registered as Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, a non-profit organisation under the Companies Act, only in 1937 after community leader and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee became its president.
It took over all properties belonging to the temple, which included five primary schools, a secondary school and a vast expanse of cemetery land. Today, it has assets worth more than $300 million.
When the Japanese invaded China in 1937, the clan leaders, notably Mr Tan Kah Kee, helped to raise funds to fight against the aggressors together with other Chinese community organisations here.
The Hokkien Huay Kuan made its mark in local history when its leader, Mr Tan Lark Sye, rallied the Chinese community here and elsewhere behind the building of Nanyang University.
Founded in 1953, it became the first and only Chinese-language university in South-east Asia. This allowed Chinese-medium students to pursue higher education after the communist takeover of China in 1949.
Under Mr Tan Lark Sye's leadership, the clan association donated 212ha of land in Jurong for the construction of the university. People from all walks of life - trishaw riders and dance hostesses to tycoons and shopkeepers - filled the coffers.
In later years, Nantah, as it is known, suffered falling enrolment as a result of changes in government education policies, which did away with Chinese-medium schools and made English the main language of instruction.
In 1980, the university merged with the then-University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore.
'Mr Tan Lark Sye was one of our most dedicated leaders who gave himself for the cause of the Chinese community,' says Mr Chua Thian Poh, the new Hokkien Huay Kuan's president.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Insight/Story/STIStory_563104.html
Unusual programme for special needs children - StraitsTimes - 16 Aug 2010
Some parents here turn to controversial method by US institute for help
By Liew Hanqing
SOME parents of children with special needs here are looking to a controversial American programme to help aid their childrens' development.
The programme, developed by the Philadelphia-based Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP), was introduced in Singapore in 2004.
Since then, about 300 Singaporean parents have attended courses run by the institute on how to help what the IAHP refers to as 'brain-injured' children, with conditions including cerebral palsy, autism, Down's syndrome and mental retardation.
The IAHP's methods, however, have been widely criticised by organisations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and the Canadian Association for Retarded Children, all of which have issued cautionary statements about the institute's therapies.
Among other things, the statements questioned the efficacy of 'patterning' - one of the therapies for brain-injured children used by IAHP - which involves the repeated manipulation of a child's limbs and head in a rhythmic fashion.
In its statement, the AAP said patterning was based on an 'outmoded and oversimplified' theory of brain development.
'Current information does not support the claims of proponents that this treatment is efficacious, and its use continues to be unwarranted,' it added.
Currently, 30 Singaporean families are participating in the institute's Intensive Treatment Programme, which aims to treat children with these conditions.
One of them, Mrs Katy Tan, 39, whose four-year-old daughter Chang was diagnosed in-utero with Dandy-Walker syndrome, a congenital brain malformation that involves the absence of part of the brain, said she has seen marked improvements in her daughter's development since she started on the programme in 2006.
'When my daughter was born, she couldn't see, hear or feel,' Mrs Tan recalled, adding that Chang would not flinch or cry even when she was pricked by needles in hospital.
She started her daughter on the IAHP programme at the age of six months, which involved intense sensory stimulation. 'One day, when pricked by a needle, she just cried,' Mrs Tan said, adding that she was amazed by her daughter's progress.
Now four, Chang can read and is just learning to crawl, but cannot speak or walk yet, Mrs Tan said.
She estimates the family has spent almost $50,000 on the programme, including three trips to the IAHP's US headquarters, where they met with experts who customised a programme for her daughter.
'Each time we go back there, we learn something new we can apply,' Mrs Tan said.
Another parent, Mrs Tung Soo Sian, 37, who started her four-year-old son Wei Xuan on the programme last year, said it has worked like a charm.
Her son, who has Corpus Callosum Hypogenesis and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia, was immobile and could be fed only through a tube, but can now crawl and eat some food orally, six months after he started the programme.
She added, however, that the programme can get taxing for caregivers. 'It's very intensive, and lasts from morning till night, seven days a week. It can get stressful, but we've seen results - which is what matters,' she said.
Other parents opt simply to attend IAHP seminars conducted here every year. The five-day seminar costs $2,430 for a single parent or $4,400 for both. It teaches parents the programme's basic techniques.
Dr Chong Shang Chee, head of the child development unit of the University Children's Medical Institute at the National University Hospital, acknowledged that physical manipulation of the limbs could benefit children with motor impairments by improving strength or reducing spasticity.
She said, however, that parents who are anxious for a cure for their children's conditions may be misled by the programme's claims, and could be disappointed if targeted outcomes are not achieved.
'There are also other parts of the programme which are used adjunctively with patterning which may even be harmful - for example, masking, dietary manipulations in epilepsy treatment and withdrawing anti-epileptics for epileptic children.'
Responding to the AAP's criticism, Ms Janet Doman, director of the IAHP, said the institute had repeatedly invited AAP representatives to observe their treatment methods for themselves, but that the offer has not been taken up 'for more than 40 years'.
'Parents are quick to realise which organisations really care about their children and want to help them and those that do not,' she said.
Ms Katherine Wee, director of GD Baby's Programs, the company that brought the IAHP's programmes here, said she felt Singaporeans would benefit from it.
'We started running the programmes at a time when parents didn't really know where to look for alternative treatments for their children,' she said. 'It had worked very well for one particular family, so we decided to bring the programmes here.'
Dr Chong advised parents, however, to first discuss treatment and therapy options with an experienced doctor who can advise on what has been shown to work based on best evidence and practices.
'It is not a 'one-size fits all' approach and the underlying neurological deficits in each are distinct, and vary from child to child,' she said.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_566764.html
By Liew Hanqing
SOME parents of children with special needs here are looking to a controversial American programme to help aid their childrens' development.
The programme, developed by the Philadelphia-based Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP), was introduced in Singapore in 2004.
Since then, about 300 Singaporean parents have attended courses run by the institute on how to help what the IAHP refers to as 'brain-injured' children, with conditions including cerebral palsy, autism, Down's syndrome and mental retardation.
The IAHP's methods, however, have been widely criticised by organisations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and the Canadian Association for Retarded Children, all of which have issued cautionary statements about the institute's therapies.
Among other things, the statements questioned the efficacy of 'patterning' - one of the therapies for brain-injured children used by IAHP - which involves the repeated manipulation of a child's limbs and head in a rhythmic fashion.
In its statement, the AAP said patterning was based on an 'outmoded and oversimplified' theory of brain development.
'Current information does not support the claims of proponents that this treatment is efficacious, and its use continues to be unwarranted,' it added.
Currently, 30 Singaporean families are participating in the institute's Intensive Treatment Programme, which aims to treat children with these conditions.
One of them, Mrs Katy Tan, 39, whose four-year-old daughter Chang was diagnosed in-utero with Dandy-Walker syndrome, a congenital brain malformation that involves the absence of part of the brain, said she has seen marked improvements in her daughter's development since she started on the programme in 2006.
'When my daughter was born, she couldn't see, hear or feel,' Mrs Tan recalled, adding that Chang would not flinch or cry even when she was pricked by needles in hospital.
She started her daughter on the IAHP programme at the age of six months, which involved intense sensory stimulation. 'One day, when pricked by a needle, she just cried,' Mrs Tan said, adding that she was amazed by her daughter's progress.
Now four, Chang can read and is just learning to crawl, but cannot speak or walk yet, Mrs Tan said.
She estimates the family has spent almost $50,000 on the programme, including three trips to the IAHP's US headquarters, where they met with experts who customised a programme for her daughter.
'Each time we go back there, we learn something new we can apply,' Mrs Tan said.
Another parent, Mrs Tung Soo Sian, 37, who started her four-year-old son Wei Xuan on the programme last year, said it has worked like a charm.
Her son, who has Corpus Callosum Hypogenesis and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia, was immobile and could be fed only through a tube, but can now crawl and eat some food orally, six months after he started the programme.
She added, however, that the programme can get taxing for caregivers. 'It's very intensive, and lasts from morning till night, seven days a week. It can get stressful, but we've seen results - which is what matters,' she said.
Other parents opt simply to attend IAHP seminars conducted here every year. The five-day seminar costs $2,430 for a single parent or $4,400 for both. It teaches parents the programme's basic techniques.
Dr Chong Shang Chee, head of the child development unit of the University Children's Medical Institute at the National University Hospital, acknowledged that physical manipulation of the limbs could benefit children with motor impairments by improving strength or reducing spasticity.
She said, however, that parents who are anxious for a cure for their children's conditions may be misled by the programme's claims, and could be disappointed if targeted outcomes are not achieved.
'There are also other parts of the programme which are used adjunctively with patterning which may even be harmful - for example, masking, dietary manipulations in epilepsy treatment and withdrawing anti-epileptics for epileptic children.'
Responding to the AAP's criticism, Ms Janet Doman, director of the IAHP, said the institute had repeatedly invited AAP representatives to observe their treatment methods for themselves, but that the offer has not been taken up 'for more than 40 years'.
'Parents are quick to realise which organisations really care about their children and want to help them and those that do not,' she said.
Ms Katherine Wee, director of GD Baby's Programs, the company that brought the IAHP's programmes here, said she felt Singaporeans would benefit from it.
'We started running the programmes at a time when parents didn't really know where to look for alternative treatments for their children,' she said. 'It had worked very well for one particular family, so we decided to bring the programmes here.'
Dr Chong advised parents, however, to first discuss treatment and therapy options with an experienced doctor who can advise on what has been shown to work based on best evidence and practices.
'It is not a 'one-size fits all' approach and the underlying neurological deficits in each are distinct, and vary from child to child,' she said.
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_566764.html
Why youth crime is down - and how to keep it down - StraitsTimes - 16 Aug 2010
Fewer young people had brushes with the law in the first six months of this year than in the same period last year - 2,086 cases this year, down from 2,289. YouthInk writers give their take on why this is so, and how this trend can be sustained
Thanks to economic recovery
THE fall in youth crime could be attributed to the economy's recovery from last year's recession.
Young people are benefiting from more part-time and full-time jobs being created. They are more likely to secure proper part-time jobs for additional income, instead of trying to earn money as runners for loan sharks.
Their parents, too, do not have to spend as much time working overtime, and thus are not as stressed or worried about their jobs. They are able to spend more quality time with their children, meeting their emotional needs and imparting the correct moral values to them.
To help keep the lure of a quick buck at bay, the Government should make sure that financial aid to poor and needy families is not cut, and perhaps roll out more tax rebates for them. After all, in a recession, they are hit harder than anyone else, and so may be more susceptible to temptation.
Law Che Kun, 19, has a place to study chemical and biomolecular engineering at Nanyang Technological University
Awareness, awareness, awareness
MUCH has been said about how young people are easily influenced by negative values such as the need for quick cash in a materialistic society.
I guess it is time young people themselves took the initiative to be more aware of the consequences of crime. They can do so at school, perhaps by putting on skits about youth crime, or engaging former offenders to share their experiences. Meting out punishment publicly in schools works too.
In my secondary school, one student who stole from a stationery shop was made to apologise in front of the whole assembly. Such measures make young people realise the importance of being responsible, law-abiding citizens - and that they must pay a price for breaking the law.
Youth volunteers can also be engaged as leaders of neighbourhood watch groups, and they can be tasked with spreading awareness about security among their peers. Spending their time around good influences will ensure they are not led astray.
Jonathan Liautrakul, 20, has a place to read arts and social sciences at the National University of Singapore
Don't forget to teach the parents
THERE should be more programmes that reach out not only to young people, but also to their families.
Because parents and guardians play such an important role in managing and influencing young people, they should also be empowered to impart the right values to them, and taught how to deal with youth-related problems the moment they arise.
The perils of not creating better parents are many.
I have two friends who were once juvenile delinquents. One used to commit petty crimes such as stealing, while the other used to participate in loan shark-related activities.
The main reason they resorted to such crimes was the lack of care and concern shown by their parents, as they were too busy with their work and did not take the time to educate their children.
Parents should play their part by educating their children on the dangers of youth crimes, and by showing their utmost care and concern for them.
Julian Abraham Chua, 20, is a final-year business management student at Nanyang Polytechnic
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_566721.html
Thanks to economic recovery
THE fall in youth crime could be attributed to the economy's recovery from last year's recession.
Young people are benefiting from more part-time and full-time jobs being created. They are more likely to secure proper part-time jobs for additional income, instead of trying to earn money as runners for loan sharks.
Their parents, too, do not have to spend as much time working overtime, and thus are not as stressed or worried about their jobs. They are able to spend more quality time with their children, meeting their emotional needs and imparting the correct moral values to them.
To help keep the lure of a quick buck at bay, the Government should make sure that financial aid to poor and needy families is not cut, and perhaps roll out more tax rebates for them. After all, in a recession, they are hit harder than anyone else, and so may be more susceptible to temptation.
Law Che Kun, 19, has a place to study chemical and biomolecular engineering at Nanyang Technological University
Awareness, awareness, awareness
MUCH has been said about how young people are easily influenced by negative values such as the need for quick cash in a materialistic society.
I guess it is time young people themselves took the initiative to be more aware of the consequences of crime. They can do so at school, perhaps by putting on skits about youth crime, or engaging former offenders to share their experiences. Meting out punishment publicly in schools works too.
In my secondary school, one student who stole from a stationery shop was made to apologise in front of the whole assembly. Such measures make young people realise the importance of being responsible, law-abiding citizens - and that they must pay a price for breaking the law.
Youth volunteers can also be engaged as leaders of neighbourhood watch groups, and they can be tasked with spreading awareness about security among their peers. Spending their time around good influences will ensure they are not led astray.
Jonathan Liautrakul, 20, has a place to read arts and social sciences at the National University of Singapore
Don't forget to teach the parents
THERE should be more programmes that reach out not only to young people, but also to their families.
Because parents and guardians play such an important role in managing and influencing young people, they should also be empowered to impart the right values to them, and taught how to deal with youth-related problems the moment they arise.
The perils of not creating better parents are many.
I have two friends who were once juvenile delinquents. One used to commit petty crimes such as stealing, while the other used to participate in loan shark-related activities.
The main reason they resorted to such crimes was the lack of care and concern shown by their parents, as they were too busy with their work and did not take the time to educate their children.
Parents should play their part by educating their children on the dangers of youth crimes, and by showing their utmost care and concern for them.
Julian Abraham Chua, 20, is a final-year business management student at Nanyang Polytechnic
Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_566721.html
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