WASHINGTON – The US Army is investigating allegations that eight male soldiers took pictures and video of as many as 21 female soldiers in their unit as they showered.
The photos allegedly were taken late last year, before the 266th Military Police Company of the Virginia Army National Guard shipped out to Iraq in December.
Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said Friday the Army is conducting a criminal investigation. No charges have been filed.
Spokeswoman Carolee Nisbet at Fort Dix, New Jersey, says the allegations are disappointing because most soldiers who train there before deployment "live up to the Army values."
PARIS - Jewellery worth some six million euros (8.4 million dollars) was stolen in a hold-up Saturday at the elite Chopard store in Paris's Place Vendome, police said.
The theft happened at around 3 pm (1300 GMT) at the premises near the Ritz Hotel, an official at the Paris police headquarters said, giving no details.
Chopard makes watches and jewels for the stars and has branches in most of the world's capitals. It also manufactures the distinctive Palme d'Or trophy for the Cannes film festival.
At a neighbouring jeweller's, a sales assistant told AFP they had "seen nothing, heard nothing," adding, "we were working."
Suspicion fell on the international gang known as the Pink Panthers.
On May 13 two Serbian alleged members of the gang of jewel thieves were arrested in Paris on suspicion of carrying out armed smash-and-grab raids on stores in Monaco, Switzerland and Germany.
The network of Balkan robbers is blamed for the theft of goods worth 110 million euros (140 million dollars) in the past decade.
French police have described the group's crimes as "lightning fast hold-ups: daring, but carefully planned down to smallest detail."
GATLINBURG, Tennessee – Chris Turner normally wouldn't drive into the remote Tennessee mountains just to deliver a pizza. The one time he did, he came upon a scene that drained the color from his face and made him "numb from head to toe" – a woman with her hands tied, silently begging him to call for help.
It was no joke, and Turner, 32, rushed to a nearby house and made the call. Police say the woman was jogging in her Atlanta neighborhood when she was whisked away by a man who frequented her business. Authorities say he drove her off, raped her and held her captive inside a cabin. The 24-year-old woman was rescued by Sevier County deputies on Tuesday evening because of Turner's quick thinking.
Turner told The Associated Press on Friday that he noticed the woman pop up from a couch while the suspect signed the credit card slip.
"While I was standing in the door all you could see was the back of the couch," Turner said. "And then she popped over the back of the couch and showed me that her hands were bound. And she was just mouthing, 'Please call 911 (police).'"
Turner at first thought it was a joke.
"When I realized what was going on, I went numb from head to toe and turned pale white," he said.
Turner tried to look calm. "Have a nice day. Enjoy your food," he told the suspect, who tipped him $5 on a $37.69 bill. Then he rushed back to his van, where his wife, Nease, was waiting behind the wheel.
"Go, go, go!" he told her.
The cabin location was out of cell phone range. So they drove to a nearby house and called police. They waited to make sure the suspect didn't flee. Then Turner stayed to see the man arrested and the victim taken away in an ambulance. "I wanted to make sure she was OK," he said.
The woman told authorities she was jogging near her home about 11:50 a.m. local time Tuesday when a frequent customer at a restaurant and bar owned by the woman and her husband asked her to see his new car. She got into the vehicle, which turned out to be a rental, and was immediately tied up.
She told police the suspect drove her more than 200 miles (321 kilometers) to the cabin in Tennessee and raped her. The Associated Press does not identify alleged sexual assault victims.
Police arrested David J. Jansen, 46, of Snellville, Georgia, without a struggle on charges of aggravated kidnapping and rape, Sheriff Ron Seals said in a statement. He was released on $800,000 bond late Thursday. His attorney, Donald Bosch of Knoxville, had no comment Friday.
Capt. Jeff McCarter refused to discuss the case Friday. But he earlier told The Mountain Press newspaper that officials believe the woman was in imminent danger.
The victim and her husband visited Turner at Capelli's Pizza and Subs in Gatlinburg before heading home Wednesday. "She was just thanking me ... for trusting her," Turner said. "She said he was going to kill her ... after he got done with her."
Turner's boss, John Henry, said the cabin was about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from his pizza shop.
"We usually don't go out that far," he said. "But he said, 'Yeah, I will take it.' It was just luck. For her, it was." - AP
Wikipedia has blocked the Church of Scientology from editing entries at the communally-crafted online encyclopedia due to an unrelenting battle over the group's image.
Wikipedia has blocked the Church of Scientology from editing entries at the communally-crafted online encyclopedia due to an unrelenting battle over the group's image.
A "longstanding struggle" between admirers of Scientology and critics of the group prompted Wikipedia on Thursday to bar online edits from computer addresses "owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates."
An array of editors believed to have taken sides in a Scientology public-image war at Wikipedia have also been barred from tinkering with topics related to the church.
"Each side wishes the articles within this topic to reflect their point of view and have resorted to battlefield editing tactics," senior Wikipedia editors said in arbitration committee findings backing the decision.
"The worst casualties have been biographies of living people, where attempts have been repeatedly made to slant the article either towards or against the subject, depending on the point of view of the contributing editor."
A church spokeswoman downplayed the development, saying the Wikipedia arbitration committee is part of a routine process for handling conflicts at the website.
"Do Scientologists care what has been posted on Wikipedia? Of course," said Karin Pouw. "Some of it has been very hateful and erroneous. We hope all this will result in more accurate and useful articles on Wikipedia." — AFP
World Boxing Association welterweight champion Shane Mosley says he is eager to fight Philippines superstar Manny Pacquiao and is willing to change weight classes to do it.
Mosley, the WBA's 147-pound champ, is hopeful he and Pacquiao can come to a compromise on an ideal weight (or catch weight) to make the fight happen.
"There are conflicting reports from the Pacquiao camp an upcoming fight between me and Manny Pacquiao," Mosley said.
"I want it to be known that I want to fight Pacquiao and I want to fight him now. I'm willing to meet at a catch weight to make that happen.
"I know this is what Freddie Roach wants as well. I am the best fighter in boxing and I am ready to reclaim the title of number one pound-for-pound fighter."
In his last fight, Mosley pounded Antonio Margartio in January, registering a ninth-round knockout.
Pacquiao, considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, is coming off a second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in May. — AFP
I think this time, this old woman can really say, "When I Was Young"… when you were younger you can do so many things… and just like Susan Boyle, this old lady is wowing the judges and the audience…! You think you can do the same thing, achieve the same feat? Keep on trying!
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Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 29-May-2009 14:25 hrs
Television watchers in Qingdao. A 79-year-old retiree in north China has wowed judges of a televised singing contest, state media said Friday, in an echo of Susan Boyle, a middle-aged woman in Britain who achieved stardom with her voice
A 79-year-old retiree in north China has wowed judges of a televised singing contest, state media said Friday, in an echo of Susan Boyle, a middle-aged woman in Britain who achieved stardom with her voice.
Wu Baiwei, the oldest contestant on "Happy Girl," the equivalent of Pop Idol in China, is now one of the top 50 contenders for an eagerly awaited televised final due in July, the official China Daily reported.
The retired teacher from Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, was walking on the streets of the city when she saw a lot of girls signing up for a singing contest, the newspaper said.
"I asked them if an old woman like me could take part and they said 'yes'," she was quoted as saying.
She went to the first rounds of the competition on Monday, after having nervously figured out she had enrolled for one of the most famous talent shows in China.
In an echo of Boyle, a 48-year-old Scottish woman who became famous after appearing on a similar talent show called "Britain's Got Talent" and wowing judges, Wu impressed the programme's arbitrators and was sent to the next round.
A video clip on youku.com, a popular Chinese file-sharing website, shows her sitting down in front of the judges, and singing "On Songhua River," a famous patriotic Chinese song about the Japanese invasion in the 1930s. — AFP
From TODAYOnline.com, Top Stories – Friday, 29-May-2009; see the source article here.
The husband's been retrenched — and they didn't do it kindly
Tabitha Wang, voices@mediacorp.com.sg
IT HAS finally happened. The day had started well. My landlord had offered to lower our rent, I'd just won a plushie on Facebook ... then my husband came back with the dreaded news: He'd been retrenched.
There had been no warning. One moment he was working his heart out, grateful for a job, and the next he was called into the office and told to go. No, not fired — because then they'd have to pay him compensation.
He didn't fit in with the culture, they said — which is a bucketful of horse manure because if that had been the case, they'd have told him that during his annual review. They were simply looking for a chance to trim their budget.
Just like that, he will be out of a job soon. Which leaves us stuck after having cut ties and moved here. Worst, as we didn't see it coming, I didn't go for a full-time position in my office when it came up last year so now there is no job security for me either.
It's all the more worrying, given the figures. That same week, it was announced that Hong Kong's jobless rate is now at its highest in three years and expected to rise to 8 per cent, higher even than during the Asian financial crisis in 1998.
So, I am not optimistic about him finding a job soon.
Just as it had been five years ago, the crisis has shown me who my true friends are. One dropped everything to spend a night with me while my husband was away to make sure I didn't do anything stupid, another invited us to her home for a brainstorming session while numerous others generously shared contacts and job opportunities with us.
The ones who drive me up the wall are those who say: "You think that's bad? Wait till you hear about my life" then go on to complain about something banal like some guy not liking her or kid not doing well at school.
Watch your words
If you meet someone who has lost his job, please don't say:
"How are you today?" (Just as miserable as yesterday, thank you.)
"Found a job yet?" (What? In two days?)
"Why don't you go to church/temple/synagogue?" (To everything there is a season and this is not it.)
My mum said the right thing: "Come home." But it's not that easy. Singapore also has problems of its own, with its unemployment rate at a four-year high.
As Hong Kong's economy is still faring slightly better than Singapore's, we probably stand a better chance staying put.
Besides, the stories I hear coming from Singapore are equally depressing. One guy, a vice-president in a big firm, was summoned into his boss' room and scolded for bad performance.
That, after 20 years of brilliant appraisals.
The boss kept at him until he agreed to resign. That was the boss' aim all along so that, as in my husband's case, they wouldn't have to pay compensation. The company was still making money and the truth was, the boss wanted to put his own man in that post — the credit crunch was just an excuse.
Never mind that the poor guy had two young kids and that his wife's contract was already not going to be renewed.
In the face of the 2Cs, credit crisis, it seems that employers are missing the third C: Compassion. The worst are opportunists who see the crisis as an excuse to fire even through the firm is still profitable.
So newsflash, employers: When making someone redundant, don't come up with pathetic "it's not me, it's you" excuses like bad performance or not fitting in with company culture. Just tell the real reason: You want him out because well, maybe your mum wasn't married to your dad.
The excuses may help you sleep at night but think about the poor employee who will have to piece back his self-respect before he can look for another job again.
Well, I firmly believe that what comes around, goes around. So, employers, how you treat your staff in these trying times will find a way to get back to you.
The day you lose your job, your hair falls out, your kids turn juvenile delinquents and you have to take up residence with my old friend Mr Loony in the lift lobby, know that your former employees will be queuing up for front-row tickets to your downfall.
Tabitha Wang wants to know if anyone has any openings for an editorial director, financial analyst or business/finance academic.
From next April, the agency will halve the ratio of food establishments inspected from 800 to 400 per officer. These businesses will also be inspected between four to eight times a year, up from the current three to six.
Stalls at hawker centres and markets, however, will see more of these checks. Centres will be visited twice a week, up from once every seven days, while individual hawker stalls will be inspected once every two weeks, instead of the current once every six to eight weeks.
Those who flout hygiene standards will face stiffer fines as the minimum penalty will be doubled to $200, while a $100 incremental fine will also be introduced to differentiate between minor, serious and major offences.
Offenders will be required to attend and pass a food hygiene course upon suspension. Repeat offenders will be charged in court. The revised penalty will come into force next January.
Last month, Indian rojak seller Sheik Allaudin Mohideen was suspended following a bout of alleged mass food poisoning traced to his stall in Geylang Serai temporary market. A rodent infestation, not related to the food poisoning, was also found in the incident's aftermath.
To tackle hygiene issues at temporary markets and food centres, Dr Yaccob said the NEA will issue guidelines specifying the expected standard of cleanliness and upkeep. A licence will also be issued for the operation of a temporary market or food centre with effect from Monday.
Market operators to be responsible for lapses
The NEA will also require operators of temporary markets or food centres to be a registered society or professional managing agent to ensure clearer accountability.
Calling this "unfair", MP Inderjit Singh questioned if "NEA is trying to pass the buck", adding: "Most of the markets in our constituencies are not run by officially registered organisations. So, (it) looks like the CCCs (Citizens Consultative Committees) and town councils will have to bear this responsibility."
In response, Dr Yaccob pointed out that temporary markets and food centres are built on the request of grassroot organisations. There had been 35 temporary markets being managed by CCCs and town councils.
"It does not mean NEA will not be responsible. We will still be enforcing hygiene standards. We will still go down and check to ensure there are no lapses. But someone has got to be responsible."
Dr Yaccob acknowledged there was a lapse on NEA's part in issuing grading decals to foodstalls at the Geylang Serai temporary market. It has since tightened procedures and all grading decals issued will now be valid for a year. Following reassessment, temporary grading decals will be issued on the spot.
Hawker Nur Muhammad raised concerns whether he would "always be under scrutiny" when the new rules kick in.
Although the NEA will deploy more inspectors, Dr Yaccob stressed that "they cannot be everywhere all the time".
He urged food establishments to play their part in maintaining standards of hygiene.
Canteens, food courts and coffeeshops would also be required soon to have at least one employee trained as a food hygiene officer to conduct daily checks.
The NEA would also require all food handlers to undergo a refresher course in food hygiene once every three years.
JAKARTA — Diabetes is spiralling in Asia but — unlike the West — those affected are relatively young and less likely to be struggling with obesity, a new study shows.
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association yesterday said the disease has turned into a global problem, with the number of victims expected to grow from 240 million in 2007 to 380 million in 2025.
More than 60 per cent of those will be in Asia, the world's fastest growing region, with low- and middle-income countries hardest hit.
India will see its numbers grow from 40 million to nearly 70 million; China 39 million to 59 million; and Bangladesh 3.8 million to 7.4 million. Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and others will also see their figures skyrocket.
Mr Frank Hu, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, noted that Asia's escalating epidemic could "erase economic gains made in recent decades".
But the most startling findings related to body mass and age.
But while Asians still weigh less than their Western counterparts, they have become fatter around the waist — seen as particularly detrimental with respect to diabetes.
The study also showed that while the disease most often affects people between the ages of 60 and 79 in North America and Europe, the age in Asia tends to be disproportionately lower, ranging between 20 years to 59.
This appears to be the result of both low birth weights, which are common in developing countries, and over-nutrition in later life.
Asian women are also two- to three-times as likely to have gestational diabetes as their Western counterparts. AP
From TODAYOnline.com, World News – Thursday, 28-May-2009; see the source article here.
Protesters gather outside the California Supreme Court in San Francisco on Tuesday.
SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- California's highest court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages Tuesday but allowed about 18,000 unions performed before the ban to remain valid.
Supporters of November ballot initiativeProposition 8 hailed the ruling, but about 1,000 advocates of same-sex marriages who gathered outside the court building in San Francisco met the 6-1 decision with chants of "Shame on you."
"It is impossible to square the elation that we felt just a year ago with the grief that we feel today," said Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. "And it is impossible to reconcile the court's ruling from a year ago with its upholding of Proposition 8 today."
The same court, dominated by Republican appointees, ruled in May 2008 that the state constitution guaranteed gay and lesbian couples the "basic civil right" to marry. Voters responded in November by approving the marriage ban by a margin of 52 to 48 percent.
Opponents of the ban argued that it improperly altered California's constitution to restrict a fundamental right guaranteed in the state charter. Its supporters argued that Californians long have had the right to change their state constitution through ballot initiatives.
Tuesday's ruling found that the proposition restricted the designation of marriage "while not otherwise affecting the fundamental constitutional rights of same-sex couples," as Chief Justice Ronald George wrote.
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Carlos Moreno -- the court's only Democratic appointee -- wrote that the decision "is not just a defeat for same-sex couples, but for any minority group that seeks the protection of the equal protection clause of the California Constitution."
The decision sparked protests in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
"It's nice that my marriage is still intact, but that's not the point," said Kathleen White, who was among those awaiting the ruling in San Francisco. "The point is that everybody should have the same civil rights across the board."
But Miles McPherson, pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, said the court "did the right thing."
Voters in 28 other states have approved constitutional bans on same-sex marriages, and none has been rejected, he said.
"God didn't create the family that way," McPherson said. "You can't have a family with a mother and a mother, because [children] need a mother and a father to nurture their personality and their character."
Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said the ruling "should encourage pro-family activists not only in California but across the country." But he said that by preserving marriages performed before the ban, the justices could have opened a door to a possible appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
It was unclear whether advocates had an avenue to appeal Tuesday's ruling, however. And Dennis Herrera, San Francisco's city attorney, said the fight for same-sex marriage rights would most likely go on "in the electoral arena."
"Today we're faced with a disappointing decision," Herrera said. "But I think we also know it could have been worse."
A new effort, dubbed Yes on Equality, has begun working to place an initiative on the 2010 ballot that would repeal Proposition 8.
State justices left unaddressed whether same-sex marriages performed in other states before the ban was adopted would be recognized in California, and advocates would have to argue that the measure violated their rights under the U.S. Constitution for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.
California took its first steps toward recognizing same-sex marriages in 2004, when San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. iReport.com: React to court decision and share photos, video
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who opposed the initiative, praised the court for leaving the previous marriages intact and urged opponents of the decision to respond "peacefully and lawfully."
"While I believe that one day either the people or courts will recognize gay marriage, as governor of California, I will uphold the decision of the California Supreme Court," Schwarzenegger said in a written statement.
Four states -- Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Iowa -- currently allow same-sex marriages. A Vermont law making such marriages legal will take effect in September. And the District of Columbia voted May 5 to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, though it does not itself give marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The bill, which passed 89-52, will now go on to the state Senate for a vote. If it is passed there, it will go to Gov. David Paterson, who has made it clear he will sign the bill.
"I applaud ... members of both parties for moving this historic legislation forward," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement released by the mayor's office.
"I hope New York will soon become the latest state to adopt a law whose time has come."
State Sen. Thomas K. Duane, a Democrat, said in a statement, "I am confident that this year my Senate will uphold this fundamental legal principle and vote for my right, our right, to be married this year."
This is the second time New York's Marriage Equality Legislation has been approved by the State Assembly -- it passed in 2007, but subsequently stalled in the then Republican-controlled Senate.
The Church of Scientology's bookshop in Paris is part of the case being heard in France.
PARIS, France (CNN) -- The Church of Scientology went on trial this week in France, accused of fraud in a case that sheds light on the group.
If found guilty, the church could be forced to shut down in France, though appeals could see the case continue for years.
"This is a process in heresy," Daniele Gounord, the spokeswoman for Scientology in France, told reporters.
The two plaintiffs, both women, say they were defrauded by the organization, which is classified as a sect in France.
Their complaints focus on the use of a device that Scientologists say measures spiritual well-being. Members use the electropsychometer, or E-Meter, to "locate areas of spiritual duress or travail so they can be addressed and handled," according to Scientology's Web site.
The women say that, after using the device, they were encouraged to pay for vitamins and books. They say that amounted to fraud.
The first plaintiff, Aude-Claire Malton, is a housekeeper at a Paris hotel who says she spent about €21,000 ($29,000) in "sauna therapy" and classes to "heal the mind," according to French media.
Her fellow plaintiff is Nelly Reziga, who has told French media that her boss fired her because she refused to attend classes at the Scientology church.
Reziga's boss, Max Barbault, was originally a defendant but has died, according to French media.
Six Scientology members are now on trial, along with two corporate entities -- the church and the bookshop it runs in Paris.
If found guilty, the Scientology members would face a maximum of 10 years in prison and fines of as much as €10 million ($13.9 million) each.
The church and the bookshop could be liable for as much as €5 million ($6.95 million) in fines and could be forced to shut down if found guilty.
The trial began Monday and is scheduled to last until June 17. The defendants are expected to appeal if found guilty.
That in the past… (1) Locals can be so choosy in their jobs, (2) Anytime they don't like anything in their current job, they can quit, (3) They are so spoiled in that they can easily find a new job right after quitting from the previous one, (4) They can demand for their salary, (5) They don't like getting barked at or 'coerced', or 'pushed' in their jobs, (6) Anytime they feel they are the underdog, they quit! And finally, (7) Locals are so arrogant that they are afraid to 'lose face' – they don't take jobs that are low-down, dirt-level, and menial – especially the service sectors.
With the influx of foreign workers, and mostly workers who will work their bones out no matter what, and remain in their jobs no matter what, this posed a 'great distress' to the locals' arrogance and self-conceit: many talented and persevering foreigners can do the job at a lower pay, with none or less complaints, more compliance than murmuring, security to the employer with less turnover, better output due to better skills, less cost with less trainings needed for new employees every now and then… name it – they don't have it!
This is my view. My opinion. And again, it is based on my experience and observation. They are threatened, but wake them up by what they fear most: doing the low-down, dirt-level, menial and 'serving-others' job, and they'll keep mum and whimper like a beaten dog that will go away with its tail between its legs.
It is more of a culture than a personal trait… born to be arrogant… proud… NOT ALL, but most… and cannot even deliver!
Anyway, if this should come, let it be. They will rule their country in a way that they deem best – for their countrymen.
Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today's situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a "hollowing out of skills" among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.
"There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out," she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.
Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.
Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to "artificially depressed" wages — a result of "competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners", he said. NEO CHAI CHIN
From TODAYOnline.com, Top News – Tuesday, 26-May-2009; see the source article here.
I refer to “Not until Aware regains trust: Education Minister” (May 22). I regret to hear Aware president Dana Lam’s remarks that the association feels the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) move to stop them from teaching sex education classes is “regrettable” and caused by “considerable pressure from parents”.
Perhaps what Ms Lam fails to see is that there were no complaints for two years not because parents agreed to what their syllabus taught, but because they were ill-informed and ignorant about what their kids were being exposed to. Sure, there may have been some good facts on sexually transmitted infections and HIV but that does not excuse the other areas which are against the norm of society and the parameters set by the Government.
I doubt that the MOE was pressured by parents to act; they acted based on the facts they were confronted with in the handbook.
I am relieved though, that the MOE has given very definite guidelines on what will be taught during such classes and that parents will be given handouts clearly stating what is being taught in class. It is not just students who need to be informed, parents too need to be educated on how to support and talk to their children about issues of sexuality.
Parents need to be more open and encouraging so that it does not get awkward for their kids to ask them about sex. Parents must play an active role in guiding their children — it is neither the MOE’s nor the school’s responsibility.
From TODAYOnline.com, Voices – Monday, 25-May-2009; see the source article here.
A NEW graciousness campaign has been launched to get train commuters to give up their seats for the elderly and make way for alighting passengers. But given how some still refuse to do so, after years of gentle reminders, is it time to bring the stick — in the form of fines and penalties — into play?
Ms Jessie Tan, 28, definitely thinks so.
On her train trips home, she has seen seated commuters blatantly ignoring elderly passengers who are left standing for most of their journey. “I’m all for a fine system, it would make people think more about those around them,” said the executive.
Mr Donnie Jei, 33, thinks of penalties as a good deterrent but actual enforcement would be a problem.
“A lot of manpower would be needed. You’d have to hire inspectors, and spend money so they can catch people who don’t give their seats to little old ladies,” said the technician, who travels to work by train every day.
Asked if it would consider imposing penalties in future, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) declined to comment as it wants to pursue the public education aspect of the public education programme first.
The Public Transport Council-led initiative, ‘A Happy Journey Starts Like That!’ was kicked off on Saturday morning.
Signs for priority seating on MRT trains have been standardised — the new blue-and-white signs now indicate “Reserve Seating”, as a more forceful call for passengers to give up their seats to the needy.
New floor queue lines have also been installed at 11 MRT stations, with a green arrow for passengers exiting the trains, indicating that they have the right of way.
Images of television icons Phua Chu Kang and Rosie also appear on trains and buses, asking commuters to be gracious.
PTC chairman Gerard Ee is confident the campaign will be well received. Looking at the number of people blogging or posting online their complaints about commuter behaviour, he told 938LIVE: “People are more aware and beginning to say, ‘look, enough is enough, we want things to improve’.”
With a graciousness campaign like this, “you’re not accusing anybody of being the guilty party. You’re just saying ‘these are nice things to do, let’s just all do it, and then all of us can enjoy using the public transport system’.”
Programme service ambassadors — comprising staff and volunteers from the LTA, SBS Transit and SMRT — will be stationed at some MRT stations during the morning and evening rush hours to help commuters give way to those alighting.
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