My reply to a letter in the Straits times home page
12th may 2011 " Debate over reserved MRT seats" by Kon xin Hua
I think the elderly gentleman should have requested him in a polite way. We should be fair to the young man. The elderly man does not have the right to behave in a demanding manner .The sign does not say "You are ordered to give up the seat which is meant for seniors etc etc.The signs are not very clear and does not say to give up the seat to Seniors .The signs should be more precise as Singaporeans follow orders. I am going to be 64 years soon and very rarely someone offers me a seat. Mostly it is the older men who offer and very rare when a youngster offers.Most Singaporeans spoil their children.It is so frustrating to see parents giving up their seat to their child who is not very young while they stand. Not only that if both parent and child are sitting, and a senior walks in,they dont even have the courtesy to request the child to give up the seat.That is why most children of today will grow up to be self centred and selfish. The parents are the ones responsible to teach manners and care and concern to the elderly. Sometime when they have a very young child, they take up two seats instead of making the child sit on their lap. I see this kind of behaviour very often and it is very upsetting. Thankyou
Ms SHAMIM MOLEDINA
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I was walking from the Bueno vista MRT to block 9 Ghim moh road on monday 21st march 2011 at around 10 30am and I was shocked to see this small old man who could barely walk cleaning the car park area.He was wearing a blue and yellow uniforn. I felt very sad and did not know what to do so I handed him ten dollars knowing that it would not help him much but what could I do? He looked at me with surprise and watched me walk away until the end of the car park.I am wondering if this company who hired him could not see his condition or they could not be bothered . He should have been refered to an organization where they could help him and perhaps give him monthly food ration to survive so he did not need to work.It is a shame to see many old people working so hard in Singapore when they should be enjoying their last years of their life in comfort. Is there anything that can be done to help this man. I am willing to help him in whatever way I can.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ill treatment of foreign maids
From: Shamim M <fragrantbreeze@yahoo.com.sg>To: TWC2 Foreign workers <ed@twc2.org.sg>Sent: Wednesday, 13 April 2011 22:36:07Subject: Ill treatement of foreign maids
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ill treatment of foreign maids
On the 2nd of april I was at the bus stop at frankle 83209 waiting for bus number 32 at about 1 .30pm.Soon after I saw a young couple walking to the bus stop with an indonesian maid carrying a big bag pack as well as a child of about a year an a half.I was shocked as this couple were not carrying anything at all and the man was tall and strong. They stood at the bus stop and the maid was still carrying the child and bag pack. I could not help and stared at the bag pack.Soon after the man took the baby from the maid for a while then put her down and I noticed that the child could walk very well. After a while the child was again given back to the maid to carry.There was place to sit at the bus stop and I was shocked at their behaviour.They did not even tell the maid to put down the bag pack so that she could at least have a little rest. She was standing for half an hour as the bus was very late.Once they boarded,they quickly sat down with the child but the maid was standing although there were empty seats in the bus.I then told her to sit down and she did. The poor maid looked liked a teenager.It is pathetic to see the way some singaporeans treat their maids and then they expect excellent behaviour from them.They dont understand that the maids especially the Indonesians are from the villages and very young and find it very hard to adjust to the city environment as well as the long hours of work.They also feel isolated as they are seldom taken out. I always tell my friends that one must treat the maids like you treat your children or better.If you are nasty to them then they can be nastier.They can spit in your food or ill treat the children.Some indonesian maids commit crimes not because they are bad but because they go crazy.One must understand the stress they go through being apart from their families and sometimes away from young children and husbands.Besides that they dont get paid for nine months which is given to the agent.This is atrocious.Recently I was talking to a friend and I was shocked when she told me that some agents even insist that the maids send money back home through their contact so probably they must be getting a commission. She also said that her maid was from Myanmar and the maid told her that she had to work free of charge at the agents house for a week before coming here. Which means he must be doing this to all the maids.It is very sad to see how these poor maids are being taken advantage off.I hope something can be done to put a stop to this.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ill treatment of foreign maids
On the 2nd of april I was at the bus stop at frankle 83209 waiting for bus number 32 at about 1 .30pm.Soon after I saw a young couple walking to the bus stop with an indonesian maid carrying a big bag pack as well as a child of about a year an a half.I was shocked as this couple were not carrying anything at all and the man was tall and strong. They stood at the bus stop and the maid was still carrying the child and bag pack. I could not help and stared at the bag pack.Soon after the man took the baby from the maid for a while then put her down and I noticed that the child could walk very well. After a while the child was again given back to the maid to carry.There was place to sit at the bus stop and I was shocked at their behaviour.They did not even tell the maid to put down the bag pack so that she could at least have a little rest. She was standing for half an hour as the bus was very late.Once they boarded,they quickly sat down with the child but the maid was standing although there were empty seats in the bus.I then told her to sit down and she did. The poor maid looked liked a teenager.It is pathetic to see the way some singaporeans treat their maids and then they expect excellent behaviour from them.They dont understand that the maids especially the Indonesians are from the villages and very young and find it very hard to adjust to the city environment as well as the long hours of work.They also feel isolated as they are seldom taken out. I always tell my friends that one must treat the maids like you treat your children or better.If you are nasty to them then they can be nastier.They can spit in your food or ill treat the children.Some indonesian maids commit crimes not because they are bad but because they go crazy.One must understand the stress they go through being apart from their families and sometimes away from young children and husbands.Besides that they dont get paid for nine months which is given to the agent.This is atrocious.Recently I was talking to a friend and I was shocked when she told me that some agents even insist that the maids send money back home through their contact so probably they must be getting a commission. She also said that her maid was from Myanmar and the maid told her that she had to work free of charge at the agents house for a week before coming here. Which means he must be doing this to all the maids.It is very sad to see how these poor maids are being taken advantage off.I hope something can be done to put a stop to this.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Imagine by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the peopleLiving for today... Imagine there's no countriesIt isn't hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion tooImagine all the peopleLiving life in peace... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one
Thursday, December 3, 2009
From The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
Healing the self
Most people are aware that pain and sorrow have an impact on both body and mind. To heal the self, it is vital to realise that sorrow may contribute to the manifestation of pain in different parts of the body. When sorrow is removed, the pain in the body can decrease or even disappear. Doctors search for the cause of illness and use medicine to take away the pain of the body, but what is the medicine that takes away the sorrow of the heart and mind? There is no need to find the cause or go into an analysis of such sorrow. Stillness can provide a powerful antidote: going into silence inside, so that useless thoughts end. For this, I need to stop looking at others, and find out who I am internally. To think ‘I am peace’ is a comfort to my heart and mind, and allows inner peace to develop. As I consciously change the quality of my thoughts and ensure they are peaceful and positive, my mind becomes strong. Then, my heart becomes happy and is able to create good feelings. These positive thoughts and feelings generate a kind of power inside. As this power accumulates within, it helps remove the sorrow of the heart and mind. It is this power that heals the self.
The power of silence
There have been huge advancements in science and medicine in the past few decades, but the number of illnesses, and patients, and the suffering in the world have continued to increase. Both doctors and patients need to learn about the power of silence and its effectiveness in the diagnosis and recovery processes, as well as, in the alleviation of sorrow and suffering. Just as there is training for learning certain skills, training is required to learn and develop the power of silence. When doctors learn to practice and maintain this inner silence, they can develop a deeper, more intuitive understanding of their patient’s needs. Their own stress will reduce and they will even be able to reduce the stress of their patients. Patients who practice and develop the power of silence will also be able to draw from their own inner resources to help and expedite their physical recovery, as well as enhance their mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Inner peace, inner power
There are four things that every human being is connected with: their body, relationships, wealth, and the circumstances of the world. At this time, all four are in a state of upheaval and this can create upheaval internally. Usually, there is dependency on these four and it is this dependency that causes me sorrow, not the upheaval itself. When I learn about and develop inner peace and power through the practice of silence, I can become free from external dependencies. I begin to appreciate the need for and importance of developing this inner peace and power, and will practice to keep it in my life. I hold the key to my life in my own hands so that I become the master of my own life. I am then able to resolve things for myself, in my relationships and in the world around me. My health will strengthen and my relationships will improve as I develop good wishes for everyone, that they should be happy. Then no matter what the circumstances, there is no experience of sorrow.
Duty, responsibility and care towards others
When a human being or even an animal is suffering, it is my duty to send them such good wishes and thoughts that they are helped to go beyond their feelings of pain and sorrow. It is my responsibility to remove their sorrow, if I can; but not to become sorrowful myself. If I do, I become weak and hopeless and will not be able to give strength to those in need. Where there is a relationship, I don’t say my duty is done and it is time to go home. Relationship extends beyond duty and responsibility; it is a matter of giving love, care and attention. For example, in the relationship between mother and child, the mother is not concerned about herself. She will even forget if she has an illness and will simply be caring for the child. Some have a careless nature and don’t care about anyone. They are only concerned about their own selfish needs. But let me remain carefree whilst being caring. If I worry or become anxious, I can neither help nor care for others properly.
Dealing with loss
When there is dependency, the loss of that upon which I was dependent causes sorrow. There is a sense of something missing when I am separated from the person, possession or position I have lost. To overcome this sense of loss, it is essential to understand that my body, relationships, wealth and the world are not constant – they are changing all the time. I may think that a person belongs to me alone, but the truth is that they are connected with many others. No one is truly ever mine. When relationships are based on true love and spirituality, that is, a soul to soul connection, there is no sorrow. Even when the time comes for a loved one to move on, what can help me deal with the loss is the awareness that what we have shared is with me even now and that our connection is an eternal one. It is vital to realise that even now my thoughts and feelings still reach them. Therefore, if I choose to have good wishes and pure feelings, as opposed to feelings of sorrow, this will help them on their onward journey. It will be my gift to them.
Caring for the self
Wisdom tells me that whatever I do, for example, if I smile or interact pleasantly with others or if I get angry, it all has an impact on my heart and can make me happy or unhappy. If I take time to realise what are the attitudes, thoughts and behaviour responsible for creating sorrow inside and then make the necessary changes, I am taking care to ensure my own happiness.Let me understand why I experience pain. Pain is experienced when I become peaceless. Inner blockages which are created by the accumulation of problems also cause pain. I find that I cannot cry in front of anyone or speak to anyone and this leads to depression. The solution to removing such pain is to take time to experience inner peace.
Why do I experience sorrow? Sorrow is experienced when I am deceived by someone or something. The sorrow of deception can cause illness. The solution to this is to cultivate the power of silence inside, to experience the power of peace, love and truth.
Most people are aware that pain and sorrow have an impact on both body and mind. To heal the self, it is vital to realise that sorrow may contribute to the manifestation of pain in different parts of the body. When sorrow is removed, the pain in the body can decrease or even disappear. Doctors search for the cause of illness and use medicine to take away the pain of the body, but what is the medicine that takes away the sorrow of the heart and mind? There is no need to find the cause or go into an analysis of such sorrow. Stillness can provide a powerful antidote: going into silence inside, so that useless thoughts end. For this, I need to stop looking at others, and find out who I am internally. To think ‘I am peace’ is a comfort to my heart and mind, and allows inner peace to develop. As I consciously change the quality of my thoughts and ensure they are peaceful and positive, my mind becomes strong. Then, my heart becomes happy and is able to create good feelings. These positive thoughts and feelings generate a kind of power inside. As this power accumulates within, it helps remove the sorrow of the heart and mind. It is this power that heals the self.
The power of silence
There have been huge advancements in science and medicine in the past few decades, but the number of illnesses, and patients, and the suffering in the world have continued to increase. Both doctors and patients need to learn about the power of silence and its effectiveness in the diagnosis and recovery processes, as well as, in the alleviation of sorrow and suffering. Just as there is training for learning certain skills, training is required to learn and develop the power of silence. When doctors learn to practice and maintain this inner silence, they can develop a deeper, more intuitive understanding of their patient’s needs. Their own stress will reduce and they will even be able to reduce the stress of their patients. Patients who practice and develop the power of silence will also be able to draw from their own inner resources to help and expedite their physical recovery, as well as enhance their mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Inner peace, inner power
There are four things that every human being is connected with: their body, relationships, wealth, and the circumstances of the world. At this time, all four are in a state of upheaval and this can create upheaval internally. Usually, there is dependency on these four and it is this dependency that causes me sorrow, not the upheaval itself. When I learn about and develop inner peace and power through the practice of silence, I can become free from external dependencies. I begin to appreciate the need for and importance of developing this inner peace and power, and will practice to keep it in my life. I hold the key to my life in my own hands so that I become the master of my own life. I am then able to resolve things for myself, in my relationships and in the world around me. My health will strengthen and my relationships will improve as I develop good wishes for everyone, that they should be happy. Then no matter what the circumstances, there is no experience of sorrow.
Duty, responsibility and care towards others
When a human being or even an animal is suffering, it is my duty to send them such good wishes and thoughts that they are helped to go beyond their feelings of pain and sorrow. It is my responsibility to remove their sorrow, if I can; but not to become sorrowful myself. If I do, I become weak and hopeless and will not be able to give strength to those in need. Where there is a relationship, I don’t say my duty is done and it is time to go home. Relationship extends beyond duty and responsibility; it is a matter of giving love, care and attention. For example, in the relationship between mother and child, the mother is not concerned about herself. She will even forget if she has an illness and will simply be caring for the child. Some have a careless nature and don’t care about anyone. They are only concerned about their own selfish needs. But let me remain carefree whilst being caring. If I worry or become anxious, I can neither help nor care for others properly.
Dealing with loss
When there is dependency, the loss of that upon which I was dependent causes sorrow. There is a sense of something missing when I am separated from the person, possession or position I have lost. To overcome this sense of loss, it is essential to understand that my body, relationships, wealth and the world are not constant – they are changing all the time. I may think that a person belongs to me alone, but the truth is that they are connected with many others. No one is truly ever mine. When relationships are based on true love and spirituality, that is, a soul to soul connection, there is no sorrow. Even when the time comes for a loved one to move on, what can help me deal with the loss is the awareness that what we have shared is with me even now and that our connection is an eternal one. It is vital to realise that even now my thoughts and feelings still reach them. Therefore, if I choose to have good wishes and pure feelings, as opposed to feelings of sorrow, this will help them on their onward journey. It will be my gift to them.
Caring for the self
Wisdom tells me that whatever I do, for example, if I smile or interact pleasantly with others or if I get angry, it all has an impact on my heart and can make me happy or unhappy. If I take time to realise what are the attitudes, thoughts and behaviour responsible for creating sorrow inside and then make the necessary changes, I am taking care to ensure my own happiness.Let me understand why I experience pain. Pain is experienced when I become peaceless. Inner blockages which are created by the accumulation of problems also cause pain. I find that I cannot cry in front of anyone or speak to anyone and this leads to depression. The solution to removing such pain is to take time to experience inner peace.
Why do I experience sorrow? Sorrow is experienced when I am deceived by someone or something. The sorrow of deception can cause illness. The solution to this is to cultivate the power of silence inside, to experience the power of peace, love and truth.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
You gave me strength to carry on,
When my body was so torn.
You lifted me on wings of love,
When my spirit was so worn.
Through all the times when in despair,
When I hung my head in shame,
You came to me when I was feeling down,
As I called upon your name.
When my heart was troubled,
With more pain than I could bear,
You caught each and every tear I shed,
While you were up there.
So, when I get to heaven,
I'll pray to you from the deep,
And, make a request to you
For my soul to keep."
When my body was so torn.
You lifted me on wings of love,
When my spirit was so worn.
Through all the times when in despair,
When I hung my head in shame,
You came to me when I was feeling down,
As I called upon your name.
When my heart was troubled,
With more pain than I could bear,
You caught each and every tear I shed,
While you were up there.
So, when I get to heaven,
I'll pray to you from the deep,
And, make a request to you
For my soul to keep."
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Foreign Workers
I am shocked and saddened to see the terrible condition of the Tagore estate dorms. I can't believe that foreign workers continue to be treated in such a horrible way. I noticed in the newspaper the picture of the bed (One big bed for many workers). I wonder when all of this is going to change?
Are our laws and penalties a sufficient deterent? Is enforcement the issue?
As it it these poor foreign workers are being taken advantage of by agents as well as employers.They get into heavy debt by having to pay large sums of money to come here and have to work free of charge for many months to cover their debts . It reflects badly on Singapore as these agents and employers are allowed to take advantage of the workers until some accident or death occurs. I hope that action will be taken immediately so that all foreign workers have a better life and treated in a humanely way.
Are our laws and penalties a sufficient deterent? Is enforcement the issue?
As it it these poor foreign workers are being taken advantage of by agents as well as employers.They get into heavy debt by having to pay large sums of money to come here and have to work free of charge for many months to cover their debts . It reflects badly on Singapore as these agents and employers are allowed to take advantage of the workers until some accident or death occurs. I hope that action will be taken immediately so that all foreign workers have a better life and treated in a humanely way.
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